PILLARS OF CREATION

Unlike what you might come across when you listen to a Prog Death Metal album opener, the album starts rather slow with a soothing violin and bass or so you might think as it then quickly picks up the pace. Although the inclusion of violin is a nice touch, it quickly gets old in the following tracks. The first two "Pillar of Creation" and "Seven" can be thought of as a single track since the transition is seamless and subtle. Two different people perform the vocal and brutal parts, I believe their harmony has an amazing potential unfortunately this was not utilized much throughout the album.

"King of a New Realm" opens similar to the first track, though putting a bit more emphasis on the violin and offers the same pace in the first two tracks slows down after a great solo which ends abruptly and continues with a pleasant saloon piano section. The track ends with Toolesque riffs and vocals, similar to Rosetta Stoned from 10,000 Days.

I thought I finished the album and started listening to a suggested Opeth track only after having listened to three tracks but then I realized that I was still on the album, listening to "Portent of Betrayal", whose first-half alarmingly resembles Opeth's Prog Death. Namely, I noticed some similarities with Bleak from Blackwater Park. Luckily, the second half of the track heavily deviates from the first, ending the track with a nice guitar solo or so you might think because it actually ends with an unnecessary transition to the next track. I understand that they want to have a seamless transition between the tracks but personally, I'm not really a fan of this, especially because it ruins the end of this track when you listen to it alone.

"Hiraeth" is my personal favorite from the album as it basically presents everything that the band has to offer: satisfying drums, excellent instrument tone, thus overall a delightful harmony with great vocal and brutal performance.

I would not have been surprised if "The Harbinger and the Millennial Vengeance" had been the album opener instead as it strikes with a powerful riff and continues likewise. Half-way through the track, we get to listen to a cool bass solo by Mike LePond from Symphony X who is the featured artist of this track. Soon after, we get to enjoy another cool guitar solo. I love the psychedelic ambiance towards the end of this track. I guess this is my close second favorite from the album.

After all these comparisons and similarities, we reach the last track of the album, "Magnanimous" which indeed is a unique track. It kicks off with a fascinating intro which starts all soothing and cheerful but only to stop abruptly and go full brutal mode when you expect the least. It sounds as if the protagonist of the story has had enough of his joyful life and wants to lash out all the anger accumulated at once. I enjoyed the harmony of the flute and main riff after half-way through the track. As if that is not enough, after a short guitar solo, the saxophone comes live and absolutely wreaks havoc which I would say is the climax of not only the track but the whole album.

Overall, it is a great album. I enjoyed listening to it. Despite the fact that some of the tracks on the album reminisce about some other bands, I believe the band has a good potential to find their own voice and this album is a good indicator of that.