AT WAR WITH SELF is a Progressive Rock/Metal Instrumental group featuring GORDIAN KNOT guitarist/multi-instrumentalist GLENN SNELWAR. This is the fourth album released under his moniker, and it contains 24 tracks, most of them being between the one and four minute mark in terms of length. "

Slate Wiper" opens the album with heavy, distorted guitar and dancing bass lines. Accents are made with single chords here and there to articulate the progression of the sound. It has a fairly dark and chaotic feel to it as well, even with the addition of acoustic/steel guitar parts here and there. "Seeds Of Doubt" is the longest piece on the album at around four minutes in length. There is more of a completed sounds in this song, with a linear arrangement and delicate, soft melodies. In stark contrast is the brightness of "Seeds Of Love," complete with a pleasing piano companion and use of a lot of major chords. "The Mirror" has more of a shredding quality to it, with an extended guitar solo that pretty much runs the length of the track, and "Stumbling To Sleep" retains that dark edge that we heard in earlier songs, with a thick and crunchy guitar tone.

"Daydream" and "This is Not my Reflection" have a similar pace and make a great pairing in terms of extending what the two tracks have in common. The cello parts really bring the song to life. "Shards" has three distinct movements. The first part has some discord but a hum-able melody line that sounds like the soft wilting of a flower. Segueing into the second part is piano keys taking the lead. The pace is about the same but you are met with a higher sense of happiness. It swings with a feeling of jazz as well. Progressively getting shorter, the third movement kind of wraps up a light and ethereal feeling from the piano runs and accented instruments. "Nightmare" is an interesting piece. The unconventional melody imparts somewhat of a somber mood and I could swear I heard the ten-note progression that was made famous in the movie "Halloween." "Running From The Dream" has a hasty guitar part that definitely gives you that feeling of being chased. The culprit is the remainder of the instruments used in the track that take the form of the monster. "Tunnel Of Light" might be the song that connect the runner back on the right track again. It has a more traditional Rock feeling and a melody line that you can grab.

"Re-Birth" comes back around to an earlier, darker sound with that wonderful crunchy guitar tone again. It is scary and inviting at the same time, while the bass guitar has a marked presence. This track drives hard. "New Life" has two parts. In the first part, bright acoustic notes provide the stability from the running guitar and bass notes that dance in the background. In the second part, lead guitar notes join the party and lift up the song into a higher order. "A Day's Death" is another lower-end song with a deep, dark message complimented by glittering guitar parts that dangle over top. "Completion Of The Cycle" is a more playful endeavor with a jazzy feeling from the percussion parts, especially the struck wooden block. The lead guitar parts are really strong here as well; a fury of notes and runs that would impress any six-stringer, leading into the closing song, "One And All." The same key is kept but the track powers down with more charming melodies and the feeling of completion to an enticing listening experience.

I like the diversity of sound presented here and the free flowing feeling of the music. Presented as a whole this is a strong collection of instrumentals that imparts a lot of different emotions.