The lunation has just passed over Greece's sky and the first autumnal breeze has barely appeared; the nature shows its lethargic marks when passes to the forgetfulness and RANDOMWALK take care for the appropriate soundtrack fitted to the entire doleful scene. Two and a half years passed after the release of the debut "Redemption" and the Athenian dark quintet returns into the crime scene, having two aces upon the sleeve: the positive impressions referring to the first, debut effort on the one hand and on the other, the impatience of the die-hard fans (especially located inside the Greek borders) for some more. Well, what are we going to meet in "Absolution" with the icy and desperate artwork? I think that the music will be our leader for once again...

...when Jean Baptiste's vocals dominate in RANDOMWALK's dramatic scene and still, the keyboards flirting so closely to the guitar riffs that don't seem to gasp for breathing, finding the perfect spot between the aggressive melodies and the characteristic metal/ hard -core's burst, which is more obvious here than in the previous "Redemption". I guess that this element, combining with the entire pervasive DIMMU BORGIR atmosphere, will be a hidden gem for the band, especially outside the European borders, because so many '-core' bands are blooming in this genre nowadays on the other side of the Atlantic. Adding also the theatrical set up of RANDOMWALK and the female vocals' enhancement of Maya in some crucial spots, we definitely have a winner. Tracks like "The Light", "The Maker's Way" (this one could be the missing 'child' of the previous album) and "Night In Gale" are some of the greatest moments between the 38 minutes of the album, because of their musical immediacy that grabs you from the throat without leaving you space to get away, while the more atmospheric tracks can also be found here, marked us ineffaceably, like the opening "Descent" which is so 'draculian'.

No matter how I tried, I couldn't pick out one composition as my favourite one, but if I had to, I think it would be "Stormcrows" because it's the most complete track of the album in my opinion, having the entire identity of RANDOMWALK in every single note, defying the bizarre and colourful dimension of the band. This one is the most characteristic moment of "Absolution" and strikes down the entire "Nightmare" of AVENGED SEVENFOLD, oh yeap! Well, the beauty here lies to the fact that RANDOMWALK have no connection with a specific genre's musical identity because it's really difficult to put a label in their music style. That one is also their success. If you want to categorize their music, you have to listen to it, at first. 'Dark, avant-garde and theatrical Metal with core-y vocals' would be my characterization, but it's so infelicitous, after all.

"Absolution" runs out with the abrupt end of "Silence" and the curtain falls so sudden. My agony for what has become of Jean Baptiste's dramatis personae is so eager and I can't wait for the evolution of RANDOMWALK's third Act. If "Redemption" was the sweet onslaught into RANDOMWALK's world, then "Absolution" is the 'knowing-them-better' phase. That purpose has been served in total success.