Review by Adam M on December 9, 2025.

This is an interesting album that further cements the band as a top runner for best progressive metal band with a futuristic approach that is one of a kind and interesting.  They are still relatively heavy on this release and it happens before their later album, which become somewhat generic sounding because they are a bit dry.  The level of being interesting ends up decreasing in the long run and that is what makes this such a worthwhile listen.

In terms of musicianship, there is a very focused guitar vibe that is technical and melodic at the same time.  Songs like “From the Flame” resonate with a compelling nature that is hard to match and very interesting.  Einer Sonberg puts forth a strong performance vocally and this is one of the strongest aspects of the album.   There is a general quality to the performances that is of the highest standard and this resonates strongly.

In terms of flaws, the album was already surpassed on earlier albums like The Congregation as well as Bilateral.  It is very interesting and has a great deal of cool songs, but still not quite their best effort and this is seen time and time again.  One comes across with a slight less than satisfied feeling with the record as it not quite their best, but still interesting and compelling.

Overall, this was a solid and enjoyable album with a lot going for it, though it is beaten by a couple of their other albums.  It is still better than recent output and a very worthy release overall.  Fans of the band’s other renowned albums will find a lot to like here.  There is a really neat modern quality to the album that gives it a one of a kind appeal.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10