Texan five-piece TYRANNOSORCERESS chose a name which reminded me of the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. Instead of mentioning dinosaurs, the band has set out to create a hybrid on the blackened spectrum which does its best to suck you into its clutches.

The band has created a blend of black metal, death metal and doom metal with quite a presence. I feel that the production was done well for the most part, in that the multilayered compositions don't often seem like they're tightly squeezed into a small space. For me, things sounded a bit muddied at times, especially where the drums were concerned. Nonetheless, I could still appreciate that there was some great drum work on the album.

The evocative "In the Light of the Sabbat Moon" is one of the early highlights of the album. Doom metal elements rumble through the intro, and the rhythm riffs are like lost wraiths in a thick mist. The vocals weave in and out of the music like smoke, and the phrasing is interesting. The bass guitar is more expressive on this track compared to others. The build-up of heaviness works very well here, with fiery riffs and frenzied drumming arriving at the mid-point. Unfortunately, the track ends up going on too long, in that the remaining passages don't serve much purpose.

I felt that there was a trend for songs to have moments of brilliance (especially towards the end), amidst moments that don't fully imprint themselves on one's memory. In general, the chaotic riffs worked best in smaller doses. Opener "Haunting Black Infinity" has an ending filled with solos and interesting melodies, while the slower, ambient passage of "The Call to Chaos" is the high point of that track. "Senescent and Supreme" is a musical behemoth at 11 minutes long. There are some intriguing moments, pulled from a variety of genres. For me, the track was at its most dazzling after the 6-minute mark, with lush, harmonized solos, jazz-like drum fills, and bone-crushing doom riffs.

TYRANNOSORCERESS have some intriguing ideas on this album, so there's a good deal to build on in future. The band is skilled in creating a distinctive mood through subtle musical shifts. This is definitely a band I'll be watching out for in the years to come.