The Bland Dahlia Murder might be a better description of my first impression of this album . It races along with a rapid melo-death gallop. The second song"Vlad, Son of the Dragon" makes me think I am listening to Cradle of Filth if they left their keyboards at home. They get real blasty on the title track but it doesn't make me feel like this is black metal, yes... I know I just referenced Cradle of Filth, but I don't think they are black metal either. There are a few catchy riffs strewn about, but theses guys are not as skilled at weaving together as even some one like Dark Tranquility. Can the guitarist solo? Sure, but that is not helping the songs. By the fourth song I am really having to force myself to listen to this album. There is a lead line that is the only thing worthwhile to "Re-faced", but otherwise there is not much to separate this from the other songs aside from a mean chug they hit before the solo.
The vocals pretty much do the same thing with every song...the have the nasty mid range rasp and then they go down into the lower death metal voice. "Threat Level Number 3" thrashes through a bunch of riffs that are in no way compelling. "The Fog" finds a little more melody and wises up to switching pace. "Sytgiophobic" also holds back from racing off at the onset, as the growl about consequences, before going into yet another obligatory solo. "Asylum" pretty much follows the other glue sniffing American worshippers of At the Gates. This is pretty much color by numbers middle of the road death metal, nothing special. I'll give it a 4 rounding it down for sounding like everything else with nothing distinguishable.
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