LITHIK is a Blackened Melodic Doom Metal band formed in Sydney, Australia. "Embracing the relentless passing of time and our own insignificance, LITHIK casts out their debut album "Weather the Storm." Across six tracks and 28 minutes LITHIK spans the expanse of black metal and doom, with an organic, melodic and a somber aesthetic evoking the harsh, rugged, and eternal landscapes of Australia.

"New Moon" leads off the album. It's an odd sound...a sort of combination of Black Metal vocals with NWOBHM classical guitar riffs. But the riffs are not anything that you haven't heard before, and this is old, re-hashed music. "Mountain Air" is the first of two one-minute songs. This one features some acoustical guitars and some ambiance. A little more of this type of sound would really go a long way on the album. "Lithification of Time" opens with meaty bass notes and a slow, somber rhythm. If it wasn't for the harsh vocals, you might think you were listening to another style altogether.

"Weather the Storm" begins with some clean guitars and some jazzy drums. Female clean vocals mix in with the harsh male vocals, but again, the riffs are fairly elementary, and this isn't anything new. "Calm Waters" is the second of two very short tracks. I'm telling you, these two snippets are the best part of the album. If the band could find a way to work these sounds into the longer tracks, they would really be on to something. "No End for an End to Meet" closes the album. It's a ten-minute opus. This song pushes some anguished feelings, and at least it makes you feel something.

The band has to find a way to stand out from their many competitors in the genre. This album is not that stand out effort. With basically four songs (despite the two very short tracks), it's a decent start, but they have a long way to go. I suppose the ultimate measuring stick here when it comes to the review is that I really did not get to know the band at all.