Reviewed by Ian Webber

Experimental, ambient, crushing and relentless are all terms that go some way to describing this independent offering. Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, these post metal exponents serve up a progressive mix of hardcore breakdowns and unforgiving vocal delivery along with sweeping washes of guitars. In quieter moments I am reminded strongly of the now disbanded Hands. 'Passion/Aggression' opens with driving bass and desperate rasps of a vocal that weaves between brooding beauty and shredding screams. "Hand" is full of bass-heavy, stuttering riffs that are tempered by the appearance of a clean vocal, as is the final track "Reborn". Poetic lyrics throughout come closest to a forthright statement of faith during this finale. The production is excellent, making for a varied and exciting listen, each track sounding subtly different. In fact the greatest drawback of the recording is its length. Coming in at around 23 minutes for the four tracks this recording is just not long enough. These young musicians are certainly a talented bunch and well worth watching out for.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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