Hailing from New Zealand, REMINA present their sophomore release titled "The Silver Sea." They self-describe their music as "building crystalline cathedrals of haunted cosmic doom." On the album, they are joined by a couple of notable guests, including Tony Dunn (SGAILE), and Mick Moss (ANTIMATTER). The album has seven songs, and "Trust No One" is first. The opening notes are haunting, and for me, they hint at something like the vastness of the universe…something that humans are incapable of scaling. The main riff hits hard and reverberates with gloom. The vocals are ethereal, and gentle, but still hold a lot of emotion. "Algol" has an eerie synth beginning, and the gravity of their sound begins to unfold. Mick's guest vocals fit well with the sound…his baritone voice is the perfect vessel for pushing Doom into your heart, and your soul. The song has a nice combination of hard facts and the joy of wonder.

"Vanta Ray" features Tony Dunn on vocals, and the guitar leads remind me of some of the music in my youth…like THE CURE. It's quite a catchy song, and they reel you in with big hooks, especially in the chorus, and emotions soar as the song reaches a climax. "Theia" presents as a softer song with a creamy filling, yet the outer core is still hard to bite through. Towering riffs remind you of the power that the song has. "House of Suns" uses synths with weighted riffs, and the slower pace reminds me of an endless week of grey skies…the kind of melancholy feeling that you just can't shake, mostly because there is no reason to. "Lo" uses some psychedelic elements along with the synths. It creates a feeling of tension for the listener, but also a smooth, catchy sound that is nothing short of entrancing.

"The Silence and the Silver Sea" is the final offering, and I love the synth work. It doesn't take over the gloomy sound, but it supports it in a way that is vital. The song is like a ghost tale for me…someone who was left behind to haunt you for eternity. There is something that is just very sad about that, but in a strange way, it also defines romanticism. There's a strange allure on the album…a curiosity about what exists just beyond the shadows. The listener is left suspended between awe and sorrow, as if standing at the edge of existence, looking into endless darkness and realizing that even the void has its own terrible beauty. It's an invitation to dwell in the gloom and still feel wonder at its vast, unknowable depths.