Undeceived

Christian anything is instantly scorned amongst the metal community, of that there is no question. I really don't care, so long as the lyrics aren't over-the-top bible thumping crap.

I don't really find that here, and when it comes down to it, I could refrain from picking up a lyric sheet in the first place. The vocals are generally rough in a melodeath fashion, so as long as I don't hear "God", "Jesus", or anything similarly faithful, I'm good to go.

That being said, there's not much to complain about; all members are well represented, even the bass player. The production is clean, clear, and balance seems to be established and consistent, which is a classical concept that you don't often find used in the metal world.

With some of the dynamic contrasts, an approach that's not orthodox to any particular style and the slightly syncopated heavy rhythms it would be easy to see that this might have an almost progressive appeal. The first two tracks both have strong melodies present, but vary it with flat out riffs, and throughout the album use other sounds and textures to bolster this appeal.

The album opens off fairly interesting by combining some heavy goth metal riffs with... a violin? Indeed, and it's certainly not used in a My Dying Bride context, which most metalheads would identify with. However, it ends very awkwardly in the sense that the song was going somehwere, and just stopped suddenly. Compare it to someone going to the store, but right as they get halfway there, just turns around and goes in some random direction. Not a good thing.

In the same fashion the second track starts, very nice with a melancholy string quartet arrangement (maybe a trio), but blasting into metal with the same melody presented initially I find to be in poor taste. Some memorable guitar licks, but somewhere halfway through the song they try a slow approach. Could have been effective, but by that time (about 4.50) the song has already become long-winded. While the song was passable, there really wasn't anything they could do at that point but bring things to a close. So the slow section just seems tacked on for the sake of having more content.

Much like the second track, the third takes a similar approach, this time with an acoustic that's not all that far removed from some early 17th century lute work. This works this time, though the violent change from sonorous to abrasive would be more than most care to hear. The fourth track is not worth dissecting. Nothing memorable and clean vocals. It doesn't work.

The whole record seems to end up this way. Memorable riffs and melodies, and at least attempted dynamic contrast, but many mistakes that don't make it a consistently enjoyable throughout. I think this could have benefitted from some serious editing, as all of the songs should be over at around the 4 minute mark.

In the end it's not all that bad, it's just really inconsistent, and structurally repetitious.