Точка Невозврата / POINT OF NO RETURN

This time the concept behind this Senmuth's album is more cryptic than usual. From the track titles I can't guess which kind of secret knowledge is hidden behind. To try making it simpler I'll write their "google translations".

"Returning To The Lost Property" is an interesting track. Senmuth has quit with the useless changes of pitches which were affecting his music in the early years but he still indulges in sudden passages from metal to something else. Usually it's ethnic, but this time is soemthing diferent.This one minute intro is made by what seems a zither and fades into "Defeated Modernity" which is a metal track featuring a good guitar part with that sound which is characteristic of Senmuth, a trademark and one of his technical secrets. A short sudden stop filled by violin pizzicato instead of by the usual indian-arabic stuff is a nice surprise. A very good track overall.

"Harbinger Of Exodus" (I think harbinger means something like "precursor") returns to the previously mentioned indo-arab sounds, but this time they are not "alternative to metal" as usual.They are integrated with the other instruments instead and the result is surely better. What I have started to find disturbing are the ethnic "interruptions". On this track this doesn't happen. It's not the world flavor itself, is how it's used.

This is the good thing of this album: it's a "fusion" of metal and ethnic, not a "mixture". "Unlock Time" is an excellent track in which all the trasitions are smooth. One of the album's best.

Initially the rhythm of "The Era Of Anti-Heroes" seems taken from Vangelis, but the drums come quickly to change the mood. It doesn't seem to be an electronic drum kit this time. I think Senmuth has found some fun in building a track around the drums which usually are not the most relevant element of his music.

"The Era Of The Substitution Of Concepts" is a metal track full of distorted guitar with the ethnic element in background and a sinister keyboard layout. Unfortunately it's affected by the sudden stops, but at least the restarts are nice.

"Black Whitelist Of Names" opens with a strange melody but turns quickly into metal. The melody comes back between a guitar riff and another. Sudden stops are present also here but they are not too long or invasive.

"Approaching Critical Mass" starts with a bass riff which sounds classic rock, then turns into metal but with an unusual acid and bluesy influence, something that is very uncommon with Senmuth.

"From The Reference Point To The Point Of No Return" is the closer and the longest track. It has a dark ambient start. This track is a bit discontinuous. Not bad, but sound like a patchwork of several things tied together. Probably this is what Senmuth was trying to achieve: a sort of path (what in general connects one point to another). The guitar sounds more melodic than usual and if it wasn't for the sudden break at minute 4:40 I'd say it's the best track. Well, the breaks, taken alone are not bad and in this case, the theme in the break returns in the main melody. The problem stays in the transitions.Another curiosity is the fadeout at around minute 7 and the last two minutes at a very low volume, like one has to expect a ghost track which doesn't come...strange.

Closer to the 4 stars than the previous 4 albums, but still not enough. Some good moments, anyway.