VACIVUS' new album is just an ep that is under 13 minutes long but it definitely leaves me wanting to hear more because I feel like they could put out something great but these two songs do leave something to be desired.  The muddy and bass heavy production makes both the songs sound extremely similar and listening straight thru it was hard to tell when one ended and the other began.

The first track, "Unchaining the Winds of Uncreation," is the hardest of the two to get into because it starts off so slow.  For a minute a half, the song is just ambient noises and rain fall.  It sounds creepy and atmospheric but it keeps the song from going anywhere; this odd beginning would had been better served as an intro instead of connected to the actual track. Cragg's vocals are deep and harrowing-the production gives him an odd sort of echo that really makes him sound like a demon.  I really like his higher rasped screams that he throws in on occasion.  Everyone in the band plays in top form but the song doesn't really go anywhere-it drones on until the 4:23 mark where the super-fast playing slows down for a mid-section with some great death metal riffs.  However, it goes back into its black metal style of playing super-fast for the sake of it and, honestly, it just doesn't give the song any form or coherence.  Towards the end of the song there is an awesome guitar solo, very unique sounding. Much like Trey from MORBID ANGEL, the solo sounds like random guitar noises but it also still manages to sound amazing and takes obvious talent.

The next song, "Blind Idiot God," jumps right into the blackened death metal with some crazy screams.  This song eschews the atmospheric beginning from the first track and jumps full speed ahead.  Again, the speed and production just makes the song sound so similar to the first track and everything just runs together.  Finley's drumming throughout the song is great and kept me interested.  The riffs get more interesting towards the end of the song, with some insanely heavy crunches underneath the twisting and turning lead guitar. All in all, a very talented band with an above average release. It's always hard to judge anyone on such a short EP but a lot of great Extreme Metal has been released this year and I'm afraid there isn't enough on here to stand out to me.