Normally a reissue means one thing; spruce an album up a bit, tack on a few live tracks or a cover song and stick it in the window again. I can tell you that that is definitely not the case here. This is a long overdue attempt to get this record the credit it deserves, and SINOATH'S 1995 "Research" is certainly important enough to merit another chance to get it.

Formed in Catania in Sicily in 1990, SINOATH knew from early on that they were a little different from other bands. But much like, say, a serial killer, they also knew what satisfied them, but they just needed to get the balances right for the ultimate kill. So, much like that murderer, they experimented quite a bit on their first two attempts, the eps "Forged In Blood" and "Still In The Grey Dying". It wasn't until their 1995 full debut album that they perfected their M.O., and it was as glorious as they imagined. The first song, "Faith Ways", starts with a beautiful piano piece that leads to the first of hundreds of really cool riffs on this album that are reminiscent of ATHIEST or early CYNIC. This use of clean keys and metal guitar strongly reminded me of the massively talented TO MERA. They then introduce clean goth vocals soon after and it immediately brings THE VISION BLEAK to mind. Only five minutes in and i have drawn comparisons to four of my all-time favourite bands. There are also heavy hints of PARADISE LOST, TIAMAT, and at their most sinister, CARACH ANGREN but amazingly the music just flows and never seems unnatural. My favourite song "Luxuria" has some great hooks, and the piano interlude is perfectly placed. As is the soaring solo at the beginning of "Lucifer's Shapes" or the straight-out death metal of "No Truth". This is an album where every part is in a particular place for a reason. It is well thought out, perfectly balanced and always inventive; and it excites me as much now as it did 20 years ago.

There's a quote that says, "we should only ever look back to see how far we've come"; but sometimes there might have been something we missed the first time that could help with our progression today. Even without the ability to reach the audience available to bands now, these guys directly and indirectly influenced a lot of the music I have loved ever since. Second time around, wouldn't it be great if they could inspire to the same extent.