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This band - who remain as mysterious as ever - really impressed me with their EP Lucem Ferre back in 2011, and I was eager to get my hands on a rumored full-length. Now I have it, I find it fulfills some of the promise of the EP, but not all of it.

Sadly, the production is not as gritty and low-fi as the EP, and that wonderful analog, tube-amp vibe is mostly missing. What is not missing is some great songwriting and really glorious guitar work. The playing on the leads and some of the melodic riffage is really stellar, and cannot be argued with. The vocals are clean, reminiscent of bands like Witchfider General, and the vocalist has a tremendous amount of charisma and knows how to sell the fuck out of a song. Dark, epic works like the huge title track and "Thin Lines of Broken Hopes" really let this band shine.

This band is also very much into a kind of dark 60s - 70s sound, and it shows through in some places that don't really work. "Spirits of Fire" has some strong melodies, but is just a bit too happy; and "Circle of Serpents" is genuinely annoying. Overall I was hoping this album would be heavier and darker than it is, but it's still a unique and sometimes breathtaking album from a band who I have the greatest hopes for.