CATHUBODUA is an Epic Symphonic Metal band born in Belgium in 2013. Following some line-up changes, the band released their debut EP titled "Opus I: Dawn," and now present their debut full-length titled "Continuum." In keeping with lyrical themes, the coverart is beautiful, with hues of blue and purple, and this multi-headed beast rising from the water with a mountain in the backdrop. If the music is as epic as the coverart, we are in for a real treat here. Let's get to the album and find out.

"Dawn" is a short introductory piece, setting the mood for the album. It has plenty of Symphonic elements and an ominous tone, leading to "Abyss" which is a bit darker, and features vocalist Sara prominently. She has an impressive vocal range, but the music could be just a little meatier to help support the vocals. "Hero of Ages" opens with light piano notes and then lead guitar ushers in the vocals. This song as some more pep as the title might suggest, along with a little fiddle/violin. "Hyrda" could refer to the monster on the album cover. A dark riff brings a mid-tempo sound with some violin and Sara's vocals take center stage. At times I would swear she has been trained as a vocalist, because she can flex in many ranges.

"The Tempest" is a short, two-minute song, starting with positive tones of Symphonic elements and a depressive tone. A scream ushers in some lead guitar moments and then it fades away. "The Fire" features some Folky elements in the opening. Then, the riff comes in with darkness and power as Sara croons "murderer...pillager." They are just missing a little something that could really propel them forward as a band, but we'll get to that. "My Way to Glory" has a more positive tone, with some light Symphonic elements and lead guitar notes. The drums gallop the song forward, to glory, to death! "The Chasing Hoards" is another short instrumental, providing a segue to the remainder of the album. It features some hard accents and the feeling of something out there in the darkness.

"A Treacherous Maze" features our first set of harsh vocals in the beginning...probably male. The violin spins a slightly Middle-Eastern sound here, and the entirety of the track is dark and mysterious. "Legends" is a shorter, three-minute song. Some Power Metal elements fuel this slightly melancholic sound, until the chorus, which is encouraging, "Nightfall" has both melancholic and positive tones and really features the vocals, pushing the track into a fairy tale dimension. "A Tale of Redemption" is another shorter song, at just under three minutes in length. Soft tones open the song, with frail vocals. It ends in a crescendo of instrumentation. "Defiled" opens with Symphonic elements and Sara really stretches out. Those harsh vocals come back into the fray, dueting with the cleans. This time, they have a little more presence.

"Apotheosis" is a ten-minute beast. It has a slow grind, with some light Symphonic elements mixed in. The guitars don't have much of a presence here. The folky elements take center stage, along with dual bass drumming. A guitar solo shows the melodic side of the band. Male clean vocals and harsh vocals also come into play in a back-and-forth way with Sara. "Dusk" closes the album...a short two-minute closer. It brings the entire album together in a way that shows creative songwriting. I wouldn't call this a concept album per se, but there are definitely common themes running through the album. What it is missing...is that one thing that could bring synergy to the album. It could be meatier guitars, or the crashing and waning of crescendos. Because they star of the album is Sara's voice, the other instruments could have more presence in support. This is most likely the result of a band that can have more time together to hone their sound. It's good, but it could be great.