THE SOUND OF PERSEVERANCE

In my limited Death experience and exposure so far, I think this is the culmination of the band's efforts. They already cemented their top spot in progressive death metal but new bands like Opeth are taking the genre to new heights. The band knows how to impress on each instrument be it bass guitar or drums. Vocal has evolved into black metal shrieking (higher pitched), which doesn't move it as I still don't like it :) The first track sets the bar very high with syncopated drumming up to furious drumming, great guitar motives. "Bit the pain" is a bit of departure from ultra-heavy death metal to more adventurous heavy prog-metal and singing is greatly reduced. "Spirit crusher" has devilish drums as well as guitar soloing. "Voice of the soul" is the mellowest song by Death ever, acoustic and electric guitar played together in a sensitive manner without drums disturbing. On the other hand, "To forgive is to suffer" is one of the heaviest attacks in particular when the vocal/drum tandem break in.

The album presents the sheer brilliance of the band which mastered the combination of progressive and technical death metal and didn't sound too pompous at the same time. One of the top technical death metal albums.