This Swedish band continues to find their sound maturing. So much so , the second song is more of a 70s rock thing than the kind of fuzzed out Sabbath worship of the first song which picks up much closer to where they left off. On "Last Leaf" the guitars carry more of a strum at times and the song has a more jammy feel to it. The harmony guitar parts on "Larvae" are more Thin Lizzy than Black Sabbath. Once it gets into the verse they get a little heavier. The vocals stay in the range of what these guys typically do. Still smoothly sung and sitting back perhaps a little more into the guitars this time around. The first really heavy riff of this album is on this song as well. They plod along much like Sleep at certain time. So there sludge doom background is not forsaken altogether.
It is not until the guitar solo in "Skyward" that the songs carried it's weight. The overall sphere of sound changes greatly going into "Alone Together". After an acoustic intro the guitar sound progresses into one with more of a western reverb on it. The arrangement lends it self to allowing him more room to open up and sing. I suppose he does to some extent, but the way the vocals stick it feels like he is still playing it pretty safe and keeping to his comfort zone. It is some what Pink Floyd in Where the tension sits. I think this song still represents a great deal of growth for the band and I like that this song is darker. It is more psychedelic than doom.
The last song is also the first that feels like doom to me. The rest of the album eels more born of the bong than any kind of despair or mourning. This song is almost more emotive, where they other rock n roll you more. Closer to the same zip code as Pallbearer with fragile breakdown s that go more introspective. I will give this album a 9. It is more in a rock direction when I want doom, but hard to deny these guys are progressing and taking steps forward. Come out Sept 20th on Relapse Records
