IN THE SHADOW OF BEING is the instrumental solo project of the Russian musician Daniil Gan'kov, founded in August 2018. The main idea of the whole project is an outspoken musical narration that flows through all project's music and combines such genres as progressive metal, neoclassical, and electronic. For seven years before the project, Daniil used to work under the pseudonym Dany Gankoff. He used to write orchestral music, music for theater, advertisement music, learned composition and piano, and listened to a lot of movies soundtracks. At some point, another passion appeared in his life - it was heavy music. So, Daniil wrote a lot of music in rock-metal style in 2015-2017. After that, he began to try to combine both classical orchestral and heavy modern styles. "Music is the Language of Nature" is his latest offering, and contains nine tracks.

"No more Time" leads off the album. Soft, melancholy piano notes open the song, leading to a heavy and aggressive riff that takes over the melody. You can tell he is a skilled musician, because the dark melodies in the song are striking. "Equivocation" is a slower moving song, still with those dark melodies, and with an interplay between piano, keys and guitar. The ambient passage is wonderful, but short lived. "Incompleteness" opens with some spacey keys, and an air of mystery. Daniil's piano skills are very strong. He is able to segue them into a heavy guitar riff but without losing the delicate nature of the instrument.

"Kaleidoscope" opens with soft piano notes and something stirring in the background. The melody is doleful, yet inviting. It builds into a crescendo of guitar and keys, in a swirl of melody....an aptly titled track. "Humility" opens with charming piano notes but still with that side of sadness. Electronic elements begin to build as guitar notes come into play, followed by breathtaking moments of atmosphere. The elements then combine in an energetic synergy. "Collapsed by Memories" features some heavier moments sprinkled in between more ambient ones, and you feel like the world is crashing in around you. The melodies in this song are subtle but you can reach out and grab them.

"Line by Line" opens with eerie keyboard notes and the thumping of bass guitar. It's as if an army of mastodons enter the field ready for battle. This is a very pretty composition done by a seasoned writer. "Quintessence" opens with soft piano notes and building atmosphere in the background. Heavy guitar accents pepper the landscape. The piano carries the main portion of the melody but the guitars hold their own ground as well. It builds through the ending with layers. "The Dark is Best for Shine" closes the album. It's a dramatic closing song, with a lumbering pace, so the heavy accents stick more between the delicate piano notes. The closing guitar solo caps off the song.

In "Music is the Language of Nature," you'll find a seasoned, accomplished, and skilled pianist who has a flair for heavy music. His compositions are sophisticated and done intelligently, with melodies and emotions that stick with you. Many of the melodies are melancholic and doleful, but also done with a touch of hope to get you through your dark days. Nice job on the self-production as well. All is crystal clear. There is a lot to like here on this album.