From Bandcamp, “Ghost of Humanity" is a concept album that follows the final survivors of the human race as they escape from Planet Earth and search the cosmos for a new home. "Serenity of Darkness" finds our cast of characters drifting through space and filled with hope for the future of the human race. The album has 11 songs, and “Grandeval’s Machine” is the first proper track. It has a rousing pace, with some ominous tones. The vocals are somewhere in between cleans and fry, and the band’s talent is obvious after only a few minutes. The band also mixes in some symphonic elements which augment the hasty nature of the sound. I get a “run or die” kind of feeling here.

“Emergence” is slower, with twin guitar harmonies at first. Then, the gents hit the gas and off they go. I get some Power Metal elements mixed in with the MeloDeath/Thrash mash-up, and of course, heavy on the symphonics as well. “Serenity of Darkness” is an early crescendo on the album…a turning point if you will, filled with moments of fear and moments of hope, though the latter are fleeting. The lead guitar work is fantastic, and the band flexes their collective muscles in the song. “Venthos Prime” has a heavy and aggressive blueprint that is augmented with moments of melody and symphony. Some of the melodies are grandiose, and it’s clear that the band wants to let them shine. “In the Maw of Reality” is more cohesive, but there is still a good deal of shifting and even jumping. At times, the music is melodic, while other times you can really feel its sting and bite. This is what I am referring to when it comes to the album.

“Unification Epoch” begins gently before the flower opens up suddenly and hogs all of the sun’s rays. It has an ardent backbone but those melodies are free flowing and glorious, and once again, the leads are very well done. “Visages of our Past Despair” is short and very energetic, thrusting the throttle to overtime. The symphonic elements are more balanced in this song for me, and play better with the darkness. “Legacy” closes the tale; the longest on the album. Gentle tones lead off the song with an air of reflection. The melodic elements are just as vivid as the darker ones, and this song has a good balance between the two.

Overall, let’s get one thing straight right away. The band has talent. From the drummer to the guitarists, the bassist, and the keyboardist, there is a wealth of prowess overflowing from the band and more than enough to go around. The sound grew on me as the album progressed. At first, I didn’t love the harsher elements, but as it continued, I appreciate them more and more. Their craving for grandiosity as well as melodic sensibilities can’t be diminished however, and this album has some big, grand moments.