Review by Adam M on March 30, 2011.

This is very adequate Progressive Metal that has a dark tone to it. Think Nevermore and you aren’t too far off. Thick riffing is at the forefront of the release and draws your attention to what’s on offer. The atmosphere created by the band is fairly convincing, but certainly not on par with albums like "Dreaming Neon Black" by Nevermore. Regardless, the songs are well written and enjoyable to listen to.

The title track is an early strong moment with its catchy approach. Furthermore, the song 'Truth Revealed' does a great job closing off the album. The rest of the songs have high and low points, but generally the quality of the material is high enough. Masterstroke is a good Progressive Metal act, but there isn’t enough standout moments here to make them a great one. The dreary atmosphere that is much like that of Nevermore is one of the major reasons the album doesn’t become overly generic sounding at any particular juncture. Even on such a straightforward album, mood plays a large part in elevating the band. And even with the morose atmosphere that is created by the band, the music is still easy to digest and has a nice effect on the listener. There isn’t anything mind-numbingly original to be found here, but it is reasonably well-executed music.

There are ups and downs throughout and moments that stick out balanced with ones that are underwhelming. Regardless, the performances and songwriting are always solid enough to keep the overall outlook of the outfit promising. "As Days Grow Darker" is recommended to fans of Dark Progressive Metal that has a Thrash influence, again much in the vein of the mentioned Nevermore.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7.5
Originality: 6
Overall: 7.5

Rating:7.5 out of 10