Symphonic Deathcore band DRACONIAN REIGN formed in the UK in 2019. This is their second EP release, and contains four songs. "The Darkness Below" is the first. Tense, symphonic tones hit you out of the gate. They are beautiful, and deadly. The main riff rolls in with a high-pitched scream, followed by deep gutturals. The drums roll freely and with a speed that is almost too fast to comprehend. The symphonic elements are just enough to keep things interesting, and the intense screams are omnipresent. "Before the Gates" has a slower, and more evil sound and pace. You feel like you are standing at the Gates of Hell, wondering what you did to deserve that fate. It's somewhat hard to get into the music because the vocal screams take center stage for the most part, although the instrumental passages give the song some strength.

"Infernal Requiem" has some nice interplay between the guitars and drums, echoing each other at times. I find myself enjoying the guttural vocals more than the screams, because the screams are so high pitched. The music descends, and goes deep with the gutturals. "The Funeral" closes the album, and that's exactly what the opening tones sound like...sad, dejected, and remorseful. The music is cold, and sterile at times, and the piano notes really push a hopeless feeling. Even the guitar work supports this. If this was my funeral, this would be the song I chose to mark the affair. Overall, this was a solid listen. The marriage of the brutality of Deathcore with the elegance of Symphonic Metal made for a baby that might be the second coming of Lucifer himself.