Reviewed by Graeme Crawford

Dark, brooding and highly intense, the second album from Jonesboro, Illinois' Hope For The Dying is a stunning work of progressive, technical metal. Elements of thrash, death, black and '80s heavy metal are combined with classical sections and a progressive mentality to deliver an intricate, thought provoking yet very heavy album. Designed to be gapless, the songs flow smoothly from one to the next in an effective flow. In view of the seguing, you do need to spend some time concentrating on individual tracks, otherwise it can become a blur. The lyrics can appear bleak but are deeply rooted in faith, for example on "Orison" there is the heartfelt prayer, "That faith will be my voice of reason". Some people may find 'Dissimulation' too deep to fully appreciate, but if you are a fan of the progressive end of metal you will not be disappointed.

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