This Swedish band has evolved a great deal over the years. At the core is a form of post-sludge that traces its roots back to Neurosis. The stormy chords and thundering drums present a gloomy attack. The vocals are at a coarse rasps with the guitar carrying the bulk of the melody. It swells to the kind of apocalyptic proportions that sludge is known for before breaking down into a melodic guitar section. It floats along before predictably building up. Joe from Gojira shows up for "Sadness Will Reign" ,which is another song that leans heavilly into the Neurosis influence with it's sonic sprawl. Joe's voice sits back in the mix.
"Laby" is more of an interlude, while the over 12-minute "Breach' has more interesting sounds being introduced that are not sitting as neatly into the expectations of the genre, something that worked really well for Portrayal of Guilt this year. Portrayal of Guilt's new album went in a more sludge direction this time around, so there is more common ground than you might think. This song finds more ofa slow burn in places as things move at a much more deliberate pace. Atmosphere is used really well to build the mood. The guitar solo contributes to the song rather than just being wanking. Over half the album is made up of long sprawling songs. Not uncommon for this genre. It is not the most dynamic song, as it works around one darkly clouded mood.
"The Rift" floats on a more post-rock abstraction until hitting the two-minute mark. The growled vocals this band uses have typically felt like a dynamic killer; this time around, the guitar is in control of that, and it is just an obligatory motion to go through. It ebbs down into a more simmering post-rock jam. There is, however, more build than payoff. The six-minute "A Way Back" is carried by the sung vocals. Eugene Edwards from Wovenhand joins them for "One More Day". It starts off with the deliberate crunch sludge is known for that carries with it a sullen atmosphere. Edwards' voice chimes in and carries a very Swans-like vibe with it. He is also on the new Wayfarer album, which carries a similar vibe to what they are doing on this song.
There is a more aggressive sludge chug to "From Grey to Black" with a guitar melody that hangs in the background. Less progressive andd more aggressive it sounds more like their earlier work, which should please a segment of their fan base. There is enough dynamic ebb andd flow on this one to keep you engaged. Just under 12 minutes, "Burial" closes the album with a more doomy tone. t much longer. Three minutes in, it feels like they have already taken this lumbering riff as far as it can go, but they drag it out. I like how dark this album is but the growl vocals are kind of boring, with only moments like unless Edwards' singing redeeming them so I will give this one an 8.5
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