KIAMA is a new project by Rob Reed of MAGENTA and KOMPENDIUM, with Andy Edwards of FROST, Dylan Thompson from SHADOW OF THE SUN, and Luke Machin from MASCHINE a strong focus on progressive rock sound. "Cold Black Heart" has a more classic hard rock sound than a distinct metal vibe, railing away about heartbreak at the hands of a woman with, you guessed it, a "Cold Black Heart". Next up is "Tears" which starts off with some somber and slow strumming, it is a mourning ballad with a beautiful harmony between male and female vocalists. "Muzzled" digs deeper into its blues roots and keeps a slow pace that grips you tight and doesn't let go. "Slime" picks up the pace and brings the album into metal territory with steadily rising riffs and vocals.

"I Will Make It Up To You" slows things down once more for a groovy slow blues rock anthem. With a sound like a lute, "To the Edge" starts off gently but builds up with an interesting style choice with some backing female vocalists, repeating the main lyrics which isn't something you hear these days. "Beautiful World" has this dream-like quality about it and every musician gets a chance to really shine. It's definitely a song worth listening to at least once. "Slip Away" keeps up the mellow sound with some electronic warbling that distinguishes it from the rest. Wrapping up with "Free" is almost as sad and somber as the song itself. It brings to mind all those thoughts of a tiny bird finally set free of its cage, and is definitely a nice finale. All in all, the album is a much quieter Prog Rock work than most of our readers might be used to, but if you are just a fan of music in general (like myself) it is definitely worth giving a listen to Sign of IV.