The album came without a press kit, so I really don’t know much about the band. It has five songs, and we are going to have to let the music do the talking for us. The title track is first. Gong strikes lead off the song, followed by a sharp, crunchy riff, and the background is filled with darkness. The tones are hopeless as the continue, and it makes a sharp segue to the second song, titled “The Pathetic Festival.” This song screams out of the gate with much aggression, and even a whammy dive. The vocals are horrid, and I get a Death Metal blueprint here more than a Black Metal one. But, that is neither here nor there. The band is adept at hitting markers along the way, through some shifting meters, and the overall sound is dissonant and depressive.

“Languishing in the Perpetual Mire” has firm, staccato notes, aggression, and more darkness. Much of the exploration in the extended instrumental passage reflects hopelessness, anguish, and even pain. “Beneath a Crown of Anguish” features thick, meaty bass notes that pair well with the drumming. The riffs are cold, sterile, and once again hopeless. Nothing on the album so far even hints at suggesting fleeting hope to the listener, that is for sure. The final song is “An Abhorrent Path to Providence.” It’s a continuation of dissonant aggression with heapings of pain thrown over the top, and Pete showcases his prowess on the kit with a firm sense of timing along with some very nice runs and fills.

The title of the album is very fitting to the songs. Besides a healthy amount of dissonance and aggression, the songs dive deep into the earth, seeking refuge in a cold, wet cave where no sunlight even dares to enter.