Metal Blade Records have put out a progressive sludge metal album for the history books this year with "Pathway" by American band SECRETS OF THE SKY. This ambitious album really comes alive as soon as you put it on. Lots of ambient sounds fill the record, interspersed between epic, progressive songwriting.

It's hard to nail down why SECRETS OF THE SKY sounds so familiar and "safe" to listen to. The colorful guitars, the seductive bass lines, tribal drumming and the keyboard layering make this album thoroughly enjoyable. Somewhere between ISIS, BARONESS, GOJIRA and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME lies the progressive sound of SECRETS OF THE SKY.

Although I loved most of the songs on this record, the sweet and tender song "Another Light", the bitter, furious and heavy "Fosforos" and the uplifting song "Angel In Vines" being my favorite songs from "Pathway", there is a noticeable portion of the record that is just ambient filler. Although it is expertly produced, I think it takes away from the rest of the album. And because of this, I cannot award "Pathway" a perfect score.

"Pathway" is an easy candidate for one of the best albums of 2015. There are some genuinely moving parts of this album but I think the missing element to what would've made this album much more exceptional would be the inclusion of more of the band's music rather than ambient filler. This was a memorable and formidable release from SECRETS OF THE SKY that really takes off into the stratosphere with their songwriting and their ability to play of off their wide palette of tastes.<