SECOND TO SUN is a Heavy Metal band based out of Russia. This is the band's second full-length album, and contains eight tracks. "Spirit of Kusoto" is the opening track. It opens with a dancing keyboard melody in the range of major chords, but quickly morphs to a deep and heavy dissonance with a three-note whistle overtop that completely clashes with the heaviness. Taken as a whole it is fairly Avant Garde/Experimental. The only real structure here is the rhythm. "Red Snow" by contrast has a traditional Metal riff at the beginning and some better connecting melodies in support. Here you get a sense of the more technical aspect of their songwriting, especially from the drumming. The brief vocal/speaking interlude just over half way however reminds you of their uniqueness.
 
"Me or Him" has a more Progressive sound for me and expands the depth of the album with instrumental prowess and some very unconventional ways of approaching songwriting. It is pleasing to me but in a way that is hard to describe. "Land of the Fearless Birds" is absolutely scorching with wizardry but opens up enough to welcome really great melody lines throughout the track. Herein lies the opposing extremes, like the Melodic Death Metal genre. The Djent genre looms heavily as well. "The Blood Libel" is over five minutes, and much more linear in sound. Once again they are able to connect some great harmonies to run along with the suspenseful atmosphere created by some of the instruments.
 
"Narcat" is the shortest track, at just over two minutes, but surely manages to squeeze in a lot of sonic boom. If this were to go on any longer it could make you spontaneously combust. The main melody definitely reminds me of something you might hear in a traditional Russian song. In "Virgo Mitt" we hear bells overtop of the rumbling landscape, which moves with the force of an avalanche. There is a soft flute as well which really has an Eastern feel to it. Towards the end the heaviness drops off completely and it floats beautifully to the finish line. "Chokk Kapper" is a bonus track that closes the album. Heavy Djent and time and key changes abound. It's very difficult to follow which leads me to understand how difficult it must have been to write.
 
Just when you think you have heard it all in this genre, you have not. This is something from the Outerworld that pulls you into another dimension. The enterprising vision of the album is very deep and vast, and the musicianship impeccable. It's all about creating a feeling and plays hard on your emotions, and sense of order. This challenges everything you think you know about instrumental Metal.