Review by Adam M on September 7, 2009.

Elenium has a manner of crafting of fairly brutal approach to complement technical styles and they come across as an entity with a one of a kind sound. There’s also of note a distinct symphonic approach to be found here that elevates their thoughts to different levels of complexity. It’s not overwhelming complicated though as it seems just the number of elements contributing to the whole make for a lot going on at a time. The music doesn’t really transcend into the realm of being avant-garde either, but merely shows enough progression to fall within that genre’s mindset.

The songs go into large crescendos and build up momentum into different territories quite well as they continually progress. This never becomes pompous over-indulgence, however, as the band are able to maintain control of their style quite well. They traverse the various territories quite solidly and the guitar playing is appropriately complex and varied. The biggest problem I have with the disc is that it doesn’t sound like anything particularly special and that’s what you might hope for from a progressive band of this type. The songs lack that special something to make them appropriately catchy or to draw you into what you’re hearing so it won’t let go. This makes them at time seems like sort of superficial progressive music, but there is enough good stuff to derive from the songs that they’re worth listening to.

The jaded rhythms Elenium maintain have some merit in their wares, but they don’t transcend the levels of being overly interesting at any point. This work has a unique flair and can be quite entertaining, but just doesn’t raise the bar enough to be truly involving.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 6.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 6.5
Originality: 8
Overall:7.1

Rating:7.2 out of 10