From their EPK, "In the compositional area AETHERIAN apply their storyteller approach variable and song-serving. Despite considerable playing times, the album's eight tracks come across as focused and urgent. Acoustic accents and a fine feeling for special atmospheres additionally distinguish the playing of the five Greeks." The new album here has eight songs, and "Forgotten Oaths" is the first, a short intro. Tension hangs in the air, as delicate tones open the song, along with melancholy strings. Seguing into "Army of Gaia," which retains the opening melody, the song expands with heavy rhythms and majestic leads. The vocals are full, rich, and deadly, and the rhythms chug with accents under them. The power that the band gets out of the music is remarkable.

"ΠΥΡ ΑΕΝΑΟΝ" is another song with brute force and power, but also some great melodies. They remind me of the mighty INSOMNIUM here, especially in the incensed vocals. The title track is a whirlwind of both aggression and melody. You can tell by track four that this is a seasoned band who knows what they are doing. Listen to that power in the chorus. It makes me want to grab a blade and head out with the band to conquer the world. The closing sequence is where it all culminates. "Advent Dreams" chugs out of the gates with a complicated but accessible rhythm, and the guitars build some melody among them. Even without clean vocals, the difference from Death Metal to Melodic Metal is marked feverishly. To really understand the contrast, take in that delicate passage towards the end.

"Astral Breath" has a beautiful and ardent sound at the same time. For me, I conjure images of a fair maiden lying bleeding, and the wolf who tore her apart looming over her while she passes. If you are a fan of the beast, you smile, and if you are a fan of the maiden, you lament. "Soulriver" is another polished song. The band effortlessly combines the brutal power of Death Metal with all of the melodic sensibilities that come along with careful and considerate songwriting. There is also a strong set of emotions in this song, and you can't help but get caught up in them. "Starlit Shores" closes the album. It's a slower grind that loses none of its potency. You had to cross oceans of time to reach these magical shores, and killed countless villains along the way, but when you reach them, you can finally close your eyes, and grin. Overall, this was one of the better Melodic Death Metal albums that I have heard this year, and the power and confidence that the band plays with is remarkable.