To play long songs is not an easy task, because if you don't have rhythmic changes or some musical variations, the experience can become truly boring to the ears of the fans. To deal with melancholic melodies is another very hard thing because the beauty of the arrangements can become a problem, because some changes can damage the whole atmosphere. So to play what some call Depressive Black Metal is not as easy as some fans can think, it's a matter of creative power to mix melancholic feelings and Black Metal elements, and put the hardship that is to deal with long songs. But Finnish band VERGE does a good work on the genre, as we can hear on "The Process of Self-Becoming", the band's newest release.

Of course, they know how to play melancholic and ease melodic lines (the guitars reinforce the atmosphere of all songs with funereal riffs), and there are some moments where traditional Black Metal elements come to be more listenable (as heard on "Aesthetic II - The Futility of It All"), and their musical work is really good. Not something new at all, but good and filled with that darkened and morbid scent of earlier days of Black Metal. On the sound quality, we can say that the focus is to have a raw sound with organic tunes in each musical instrument and nasty harsh voices (with some clean moments here and there). We can understand what they are playing without great efforts, but it could be done in a better way. Sound quality not as raw as presented on the album would operate miracles.

Musically, their musical work is strong and has value, but they have to use a better insight, and maybe shorting a bit (just a bit) on the time length would be a good choice in the future, because their music have no technical level to give support to their ideas. But let me tell you a thing: songs as "Aesthetic II - The Futility of It All" with its very good contrast between melancholy and harshness of Black Metal, the very good aggressive parts of "Aesthetic III - The Ridiculous Difficulty of Acceptance" and "Moral I - The Decision Beyond Calculation" (this one with fine shrieked voices), and "Religious I - The Bedrock Gives Way" with its fine darkened melodies are showing that they are talented enough to give a step ahead.

They have talent, and maybe a producer could give a helping hand to put all things together. For now, listen to the album, and pay attention to how they have potential to make better songs.