The album gets off to thrashier take on what Celtic Frost once did and in some ways sounds more like Frost to me than the Monotheist album did. Female vocals, which are not out of place on a Celtic Frost album, enter on the hypnotic throb of "Boleskine House". For their second album the band seems like they have always been together. With the crunch of burly doom "Altar of Deceit" slams you out of the trance they previously lulled you into.
Tom Warrior knows his dynamic, as he was one of the first to really bring a gothic vibe into Celtic Frost's flavor of metal. His new band works best when they have all the elements blended like the beginning of "Breathing". That give way to the need to prove they are capable of reaching black metalish speeds. They find some good groove in-between the two modes. Of course I am a fan of the darker almost goth feel to "Aurorae". The guitar work seems more thoughtful there. Though this band can play fast , not unlike Type O Negative who would do so in punk bursts, I don't hear that as being where they are most suited.
"Demon Pact" stays on the dark and deliberate path that the band excels on.It's interesting hearing this more classic take on doom, vs modern funereal doom, which is so much slower. It does make for more compact songwriting. They seem to keep getting darker as the album progresses. "In the Sleep of Death" almost touches on death rock at points. This song also has the most compelling lyrics and chorus. Things don't wander to far from the dismal murk on "Black Snow". A few trade mark grunts are thrown in for good measure. The low croak of clean vocal keep the creep factor high. The drumming really stands out on "Black Snow". Everyone has ample chops, as they should playing with a legend like Tom. While they do sound better playing at this speed over time it drags ever so slightly, more so on this 12 minute monster . It will be interesting to see in what direction this sometimes plodding manner in which they pound grows on me.
They have chose a weird way of closing the album with "Waiting' which almost reminds me of the Gathering at the beginning. Overall this album hits all the place Type O used to but from more the the perspective of what I need from metal today, I'm not sure a long lost Type O album will hold up against what I listen to today unless it's October Rust quality, but that's not real and this album is an is a testament to Tom Warrior's staying power, I can listen to this and not just think about how I would rather be listening to Celtic Frost. So I will give it a 9.5.
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