It has been ten years since the last album, 2008's "Stormchaser," was released.  With so many defunct bands making a comeback (such as AT THE GATES and CARCASS), I was always hoping this band would return.  Flash forward to 2018 and they have indeed released a new album, "Terminal Bloom."  But how does it fair?  More importantly, was it worth the ten-year wait?  Resoundingly yes.   From the opening clean guitar licks from "Reality In Disarray," to the final scream of Laura Nichol in the last track "Wild Heart," it feels like ten years hasn't even passed.  The band picks up right where they left off, forging ahead with their sound that is more confident than ever.

Although they are lumped in with Melodic Death, their sound is definitely more aggressive than your average MD band and their sound infuses moments of traditional Death and Thrash. "A Grotesque Reflection," balances these sounds well, especially with the guitars that are melodic but played with speed. Ben's drumming is equally as speedy in addition to commanding tight control over the band's heavy foundation. The first minute or so of "Dormant Tide," is a cascading rain of melodic riffs that burst open when Laura starts belting out her screams.  She is immensely talented and very energetic, injecting an almost Punk Rock feel into her voice but still very much Death Metal.

The title track leans more towards a Death Metal sound, with taught drumming, multilayered growls/screams, and riffs that echo some of the more modern Death Metal bands like THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER or modern releases from AT THE GATES. The short instrumental track contains great acoustic guitar and melodic leads; this little song really breaks up the album well and allows a short breather before the brutal "Agents of Fate."  The drumming alone is intense enough to warrant whiplash.  The rest of the song alternates between searing riffs and melodies. "Extinguished," is a short but very sweet track that really shows off their thrash roots during the verses before exploding into raging death metal about a minute and half in.  The solo is a nice touch and ends the song well.

"Neverlanding," is perhaps the best song on the album because it perfectly displays what the band is all about.  The beginning is crushing and rides straight thru to the melodic last half of the song that is imaginatively epic. "Terminal Bloom," is just as good as any of their releases, if not better.  They don't forge any new ground, and nothing here will reinvent the wheel or make you change your mind if you hate this style.  However, sometimes it isn't what you do that matters, but how you do it.  LIGHT THIS CITY's sound of Death, Melodic Death, and Thrash is done very well and convincing.