If it's dark, pessimistic Black Metal you want, look no further than New Jersey's KRIEG, who return with their first full-length album since 2011's "The Isolationist." Their new record, "Transient," picks up right where the band last left off, and is as punishing as it is intricate.

"Order Of The Solitary Road" is the perfect primer for what is to come throughout the record. After the eerie, dismal ambient opening, the band launch take some time to gather up steam before charging into a full-on assault, and then slowing back down with a groovy, pit-starting riff. "Return Fire" and "Circling the Drain" alternate between moments of pure, unbridled ferocity and more contemplative (but still very heavy) parts, particularly in the former song. "To Speak With Ghosts" opens with this great, doomy intro, and its somber tone and slow pace contrast perfectly with the more-straightforward, blistering "Atlas with a Broken Arm," which culminates with some ungodly shrieks from N. Jameson. While the songs themselves are not exactly revolutionary for the genre, what KRIEG excel at is mixing things up and utilizing a variety of different textures and moods to give form to their music. There's an overriding theme of bleakness and despair, which is very ingrained in their style as a band, but its presentation to the listener is never the same. "Walk with Them Unnoticed" and "Ruin Our Lives" throw a bit of a curveball with their Post Rock-influenced approaches (especially so on the former track) , but it is a welcome surprise after the onslaught of the prior two songs, "Winter" and "Time." Perhaps the most despair-inducing song on the album, "Home" is nothing but static-y, whirring sounds supporting a spoken word performance; when an acoustic guitar comes in around halfway through the song, its haunting chords are a short reprieve before the disconcerting dialogue begins again.

There's a lot for fans of Black Metal to like about "Transient." It's a superbly well-executed effort, and the murky production really helps drive home the music's largely depressing mood.<