DECLINE OF THE I is a Post-Black Metal band, hailing from Paris, France. The project pursued a conceptual trilogy based on the French neurobiologist Henri Laborit's experiences on rats, most likely when confronted to aggression. Each of the first three albums is thus a part relating its own specific step; through a range of disparate material, tied together in the backbone concept. Past these releases, the project started to approach Danish philosopher, theologian, poet and social critic Søren Kierkegaard's writings. The album contains five tracks.

"A Selfish Star" leads off the album. It's an eleven-minute opus, the begins with clean guitars and spoken words. The harsh vocals drop, and it's a lumbering, depressing affair going forward. Some clean vocal chants come in around the half-way mark. The sound then drops to just bass guitars and some whispered spoken word. The harsh vocals make a return, with a vile scream. It closes with what sounds like vocals from children. "The Veil of Splendid Lies" is just over seven-minutes in length, and features s similar sound. Deep, dark, lumbering guitars and vocal chants begin the album. The guitars venture out a bit, and a hypnotic rhythm forms, with harsh vocals. It picks up in pace towards the end, and fades out with piano notes and an almost jovial sound.

"Act of Faith" begins in a similar fashion and pace. The tracks are starting to run together a bit. The harsh vocals here are just tortured, and the drums make some strong presence, as it begins to build to a crescendo around the half-way mark. It runs to completion with more of that slow, depressing sound. "Tethering the Transient" begins with chaotic guitars, drums and vocals, more like traditional Black Metal. But it slows fairly quickly thereafter, back to a mid-tempo pace. A brief ambient passage with clean vocals is short lived, then it's back to slow, heavy guitars along with some piano notes to completion.

The monstrous closer, "Diev Vide," is over 15-minutes in length. Like a good Doom Metal song, it takes a while to develop. Frigid and nearly void of all emotions, except for the loss of all hope, it really drives this sound deep into the crevices of your mind. Throughout the entire drawn-out sounds here, everything you hold dear has been taken from you...your livelihood, your loves ones, your worldly possessions, all of your wealth, and eventually your very soul. Ending with a cacophony of sounds, everything comes crashing down around you.

Overall, this was a desolate and depressing album to listen to. They cut right to the chase, creating a cold and empty world. But, many of the album's five tracks have a similar sound, so there isn't much in the way of variety here. Strong with might and power, but weak in diversity, the album left me wondering how the band could develop their sound a little better with some creativity. The piano is a nice addition...perhaps a little more of that? It's not bad, but it needs a little work.