PIRE is a Post-Metal band hailing from San Diego, California, USA. Their newest album here has five songs. "The Sanctuary" is the first. The opening tones are warm with hope. A sanctuary is a place where you can go alone and get away from everything. That is the kind of calm that is reflected here. Sure, there are bad times, marked by the heavier and darker riffs in the song, but the collective as a whole is bursting with promise. "The Tension" does indeed have tense elements in the slow opening sequence, and it thickens as the song continues, with added layers of guitars. By the time the main riff finally drops, you are soaked with anticipation.

"The Stranger" is a short jaunt with an angled, heavy rumble. The guitars are so thick, you might think you are listening to Sludge Metal. "The Bridge" is just that...a choice you have to make in life. Do you take the chance, and cross it, or do you go back? This question has plagued mankind for centuries. It looks alluring, if it weren't for the warning hairs standing up on the back of your neck. Ominous tones hang in the air, begging you to return, but you take a leap of faith and start to cross.

"The Journey" closes the album. Once you crossed the bridge, there is no going back. With each step, you grow wearier. Clouds roll in and threaten to open up. But you keep pressing on and forward. What will happen to you in the end? Like the song title, in many ways, it doesn't matter, because it's about taking the first step, and not the destination. Overall, this album will leave you with more questions than answers. There is no "light bulb" moment where things fall into place. Instead, the sludgy, earthy tones remind you that life is a constant struggle, and you have to make decisions with blind trust. Consider this album a philosophical enigma.