In 2008 a young group of musicians from Russia came together to lay down a statement that they had arrived on the scene. 12 years later, AMEDERIA are once again to release the album "Sometimes We Have Wings" after its initial successes.

The artwork to this record plays on the imagery of the title, with what appears to be a fallen angel as the focal point. The opening track "In" is solely instrumental, painting a dark and gloomy picture in a beautiful piano solo. So, stand up Konstantin and take a bow, that was one of the most moving opening tracks I have ever heard.

The music continues to create this Doomy atmosphere with its heavy and drawn out chords, sluggish pace and overarching sense of dread. The effect of the dual vocals is quite shocking really, with the deep and low growls of Damir accented by the sweet melodic lines from Gulnaz. "Doomed Ground" trudges by with your steps seemingly becoming heavier and taking more effort with each movement. "Dreams" plays straight into certain stereotypes toward Gothic music, the clean piano laced with female vocals that contrasts the rough-edged male vocals and heavily distorted guitars.

The mid-point of the album comes around with what appears to be a spoken word poem. In fact, I could see my surroundings for "Cold Emptiness" as one of two places. Unironically the first would be a cold and dark forest, the second would be a dingy Jazz club complete with musky cigarette smoke.

As I come into the final three tracks, I can feel my enthusiasm begins to wane. The pace and emotions of the music are making this task into quite the chore and I am struggling to find the enjoyment that I crave from music, for example, with a lot of the styles present with AMEDERIA, I quite enjoy the injections of pace and aggression that one would find with CRADLE OF FILTH, for example.

Overall, there were elements that I enjoyed. But for me the record peaks in the opening track and from then on out it feels as though you are trying to walk through a bog, with your legs growing heavier every step you take; until eventually it absorbs and envelops you.