From Bandcamp, "Recent output has seen OCTOBER TIDE tone down on the doom particle, and throw the listener in a colder embrace of a melodic death metal rainstorm. This trend remains consistent on "The Cancer Pledge," and overlaps with the direction spearheaded by guitarist Fredrik Norrman. "It's a direct continuation of the previous album," states Norrman. "Less doom and more death metal, yet melodic and with more layers. I've searched for inspiration in records I listened to in the 80's and 90's when I grew up." The album has eight songs.

"Peaceful, Quiet, Safe" is first. The opening tones are brutal, accessorized with guttural vocals and a thickened riff. It begins to swell, moving towards an army-like assault, complete with rolling drum parts. "Tapestry of Our End" has some nice guitar harmonies to round out the punishing sound. Doom has definitely met Melodic Death Metal in dark alley, and what comes out of that meeting is a child unlike another. "Unprecedented Aggression" has a slow groove, drawn out to make that Doom sound really sink in. "Blodfattig" has some more intricate guitar work to go along with the main riff. When it reaches a boiling point, look out, because it is coming right for you.

The title track hears much of the power generated in the chorus, and some of the clean guitar passages help to temper the anger. I love the audible bass notes as well. "I Know Why I'm Cold" has devastating doom and gloom, and might represent the lowest point in your life. The guitar work is fantastic, and really helps to thicken the sound. But it's mainly the vocals that hold the sound steady. "Season of Arson" has a more powerful Melo-Death sound, again with great bass work. The band deviates from their norm just enough to keep things interesting, but always come back to their main approach.

"Breath the Water" closes the album, and it might be the best song on the album. You can feel the emotion in the vocals deep in your chest, and it threatens to overwhelm you. If they ending doesn't grab you, nothing will. Overall, this was an excellent release. As advertised, it really is a child of the combination of Doom Metal with MeloDeath. Traditional Doom elements keep your head stuck underground, while the MeloDeath elements make the music come alive. This is an album that all fans of Metal can enjoy.