F# A# ∞

The debut of the Canadian ensemble is much like the albums that were to come, quiet parts that reach a hectic climax and then recede to another quiet moment. On this album, the presentation of said attribute is very well done. The intrumental bombastic-ness is impressive, and it takes a bit for the music to sink in, but overall I was given an awe- inspiring experience. The violins mix well with the guitar and bass during the quiet sections, and the textured guitar tones fit well with the rest of the cast of instruments during the hectic sections.

It is too hard to describe all of the tracks, so I'll describe my favorite one on the album. The Dead Flag Blues is an utterly perfect track to me, with sultry spoken vocals in the beginning, to the ghostly choir in the middle, to the bells near the end. It all mixes together and creates the perfect environment.

Overall, I feel that this album is a great start, and more excellent material was to follow. 4.5/5.