From Bandcamp, "Hailing from Seattle Washington, USA, and springing forth with aggressive melodic riffs and symphonic flourishes reminiscent of an epic Scandinavian group, VESUVIAN is the unification of Classic Melodic and Symphonic Death Metal, with an enticing dash of Power Metal." The new album has nine songs. The title track is the first cut. Light Symphonic tones open the song, with charming piano notes. The main riff comes rolling in, with harsh vocals. I hear mostly Power/Symphonic Death elements in the music, especially considering the ever-moving drums, but the backing music is just a little thin. "Seas of Grey" begins with cello notes, and a solemn feeling. The song is slower and perhaps more expansive, letting the melancholy tones really sink in. The band is trying, but so far it sounds more patterned...and less of their own personality. "Grief Drinkers" is a shorter and faster song, but again, the riff comes through as too simple and too expected.

"Sunless Dreams" is another rousing song, where those Power Metal elements come through mostly as pure energy. The clean vocals in the chorus are a bit too quiet however. That closing sequence is a winner though. "Architects of Ruin I: Indoctrinate" has another energetic sound, and the combination of harsh and clean vocals works very well here. I can hear a bit more of the band's personality in the music, and it's nice to hear. "On Cursed Sands" has deeper Death vocals, and more aggressive tones. The symphonic elements are perfectly sprinkled in the background. "For Those We Left Behind" is a little more melodic. Although the song is packed full with harsh vocals, the melody is not lost, and the lead breaks are nicely done as well.

"Writing Folktales" has some very nice clean vocal harmonies, and this song shows the more tender side of the band, while the harsh elements keep rolling. "In the Gallows at the Edge of the World" closes the album. It's a seven-minute opus. The opening sequence is quite charming, and an ethereal feeling passes into you. From there, the song hardens, with a heavy dose of harsh vocals and symphonics. This is a very well put together song. Overall, I enjoyed the album. At times, however, I felt that some of the songs sounded a bit too characteristic of the genre, and a little overly patterned. Considering this is the band's first full-length, I can understand why they played it a bit safe. There is a lot of potential here however...the band just needs to let it out.