From Bandcamp, “Quest for the Secret Fire” deals with the opposition between material and spiritual alchemy. The Secret Fire concept has its origin in the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster, and refers to the divine essence of the universe, towards which all matter yearns to move. The true spiritual alchemist continuously refines his spirit by rejecting trivial distractions and looking inward in order to approach this divine state whereas the fraudulent materialist alchemists only focus on short term sensory satisfaction, metaphorized by the production of gold for personal gain. The alchemical concept of repeated refinement is also a metaphor for the band’s constant dedication to the craft of narrative songwriting, fine-tuning every element of each song to maximize contrasts, tension and impact.”

 “Dwelling on Charnel Grounds” is the first song. The Progressive nature of the music is explorative, and the vocals are harsh. The bass work is animated, but it doesn’t have an overly heavy feeling to it. “Heretical Experiments in the Subterranean Citadel” has a more aggressive riff, but the music is still pretty loose, almost bordering on Jazz at times. The clean vocals are surprisingly calming, and the band has a refined sense of songwriting even within the Extreme Metal genre. “Reprisal from the Deep” shows a masterful approach to composition with some odd but controlled chord progressions, in the nature of OPETH or even BEYOND CREATION. On the surface, each move seems relaxed, but like a good chess board, the band has their pieces in just the right locations.

 “Paths Towards Chrysopoeia Pt. I” shows the band’s ability to make a smooth sound out of something so angled and sharp. At times, it’s possible to even forget that this is Extreme music because they cloak it like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, “Initiation to the Extracorporeal Odyssey” feels like a trip to outer space, to gaze at the billions of galaxies that are out there and to contemplate the irrelevant nature of humans, especially the ending which just resonates with that feeling. Segueing into “Writhing Through the Nebulae of Macrocosmic Disharmony,” it is a darker take on music. Listen to the chemistry of the riffs, the bass movements, and the drums…they are nearly in perfect unison with one another. “Woe to the Goldmakers (Paths Towards Chrysopoeia Pt. II)” has some subtle meter shifts that shows the bands level of control. They could easily light things on fire, but they prefer to keep a certain discipline to the music.

The lengthy title track closes the album, and it’s a series of twisted roots which form a tree above the level of the ground. It slows to a near halt close to the half-way mark, showing the band’s sense of the sublime. Let this one work its way into your mind and it just might take up residence. Overall, this was a pleasing album with an uncommon sound, something out of bounds but not too far. What impressed me most was the way that the band controlled an album which seemed so loose at times. This was indeed an outerworldly listening experience.