From their webpage, "METASPHAERA's newest album is the culmination of years of devotion to their craft. Drawing from twenty years of material, they meticulously sorted through their output to find the purest, most potent version of their sound. It took several years to bring everything together, but the end result is worth it. They have created with this album an incomparable timeless monument, full of infinite depth and power." The album has eight songs.

"Fall" is the first...it's a short mood-setter, with Symphonic elements, leading to "Exile." There is an energy here mixed with a darkness, and some wonderful bass lines. The vocals are harsh, and the music speedy. There are also some technical elements along with Progressive ones. The band puts on a fantastic display of musicianship as well. "Einheit" is another bruising, complex song. You can tell this borders on Tech Death with the dexterous bassist. He is all over the place. The vocals are earnest, and deep at times. The leads are also excellent...this band is not short on musicianship.

"Katharsis" is a lengthy 12 minutes. What amazes me most about this song perhaps is the amount of material they are able to pack into it. Close it up, and re-open it, and it will spring out 1000 fold. The song shifts through tight Progressive passages like a snake stalking its prey. So far however, their impeccable musicianship hasn't overshadowed the songwriting, which is a difficult balance to obtain. "Realitaeten Pt. 1" is another seemingly chaotic affair, until you begin to peel back the layers and you realize that everything has its proper place and the song is so well written. The darker passages here shine with a sheen in their blackness.

"Realitaeten Pt. 2" is an even darker cousin to the first part. It twists and turns like a hardened piece of metal that is fluid outside of the outer core, and you can feel its movement in your bones. Heavy, chunky accents are peppered throughout the song, but you can hear a distinguishable core sound. "Weite" is a short, three-minute, charming reprieve to the madness of the album, which allows you to breathe, and return for the closer, "Sturm." It another study offering as weighted as mountain rising from the sea. If you even try to count along to the beats in this song, it will leave even a seasoned musician scratching his head. I marvel at how well the band can dip in and out of these various passages.

This album is deep, dark, and meticulously performed. The musicians are all at the top of their game, and it makes sense that they have complete control over the songwriting synergy, because of the years they have behind them. They flirt with that thin line of pretentiousness at times, but what Progressive band worth their weight in salt hasn't. Both Technical and Progressive fans will find a lot to like on the album.