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This was a lot more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be. Ecnephias bang out a darkened brand of Death Metal that marries off the gothic drama of early Cradle of Filth (let's face it, Cradle'd sound a lot better without the poison dwarf squealing over everything, and that's what you get a lot of here) alongside the keyboard drenched elements of Nocturnus (albeit, without their futuristic edge). With those two elements, they also carefully slide in some trudging doom passages, making for a package that caters for many and doesn't fail to keep the interest firmly fixated.

Though the studio mix has quite a flat sound, the balance between all instruments is perfect, never allowing the keyboard elements to usurp guitars, allowing them just enough space to breath in order to enhance the 6 string melodies. Vocally, it's mainly a low Death Metal belch that dominates the microphone, though there are a few occasions where it's mixed up with screeching or clean vocals, both of which suit the music perfectly. In tracks such as 'Ice Forest Rituals (The Twilight)', there's even a Black Metal feel to the riffage, which steams away over a blasting drum beat, before making way for a gentle acoustic interlude and chanting vocal work — pretty impressive indeed.

All in all, this will undoubtedly have you banging your head at least a few times seeing as musically it gratifies on so many metal levels. Though there are a few tiny niggles with production, it more than makes up for it with an ever present professional musical dynamic that stands the test of time upon multiple spins.