SISYPHEAN is a black metal band from Lithuania, who formed in 2012 under the name DIVISION but changed to their current moniker in 2014. "Colours Of Faith" is their second full length album; they have also released an EP and a split album. The band mixes in elements of death metal as well—the two genres are blended seamlessly to capture the uncompromising nature of death but the arcane approach of black metal.  But SISYPHEAN are all about making the songs reside inside strong compositions, thus creating a sound that is extreme but also highly engaging with a lot of replay value. I do have some complaints for the album, but they are few. While I appreciate the gritty sound of the album, the production is a little muddy-there is a lot going on in these songs and I wish I didn't have to struggle, at times, to hear the instruments, especially the bass.  The drums could be more upfront in the mix as well.

Much like the music itself, the concepts of the album are a deep study on the human condition and our place in the world.  "Scorched Timeless," for example, is about external forced that drive everything around us.  "Sovereigns Of Livid Hope" is about the endless cycle of humans inheriting the earth and the struggling between preserving it or not.  These exploratory topics are reflected in many aspects of the band, including the cover art.  The struggle of man is indeed the biggest war in history.  Musically, the band doesn't struggle of course, but there is much battle and changes presented across the eight tracks.  The band isn't content to stay in one place for long, always presenting a new challenge for themselves and the listener.  With that being said, the album doesn't sound too out there or spastic—everything is in the right place at the right time to serve its purpose.

"Before The Light," opens the album up with deep, ambient tones and atmospheric drumming.  I absolutely hate intros if they are not done right but this one up tension up tension perfectly-it also bleeds into the first proper full track, "Scorched Timeless," where the album's mood and personality is immediately established—ancient and mysterious feeling  danger and the violent conflict of struggling on a massive scale. The guitars with dissonant groove and frightening tones of utmost urgency—a lot is at stake here and the music just drips with resonance. Along the way clean vocals which sound like throat singing make their way into the chaos–and fit right at home.  After the five minute mark, the band doubles down on its speed, hitting hard and quick.  This song, much like the album as a whole, envelopes me, an experience as much as it is a song.

"Hearts Of Mercury," seems to keep the unrelenting speed going and this track is much more vicious.  Black metal riffs burn up the edges of the song's body while the inside experience its own turmoil, with drums and bass that are an invading force that fills up the atmosphere.  The middle portion was made for headphones—the clean, dissonant tones really mess with my head but never pull me out of the song.  Instead they just pull me further into this blackened rabbit hole. The music of "Sovereigns Of Livid Hope," stretches outward, little details here and there that reveal a song that demands multiple listens, with each time myself finding another reward to over take me.  This song is a more somber, musically, and the vocals are more desperate.  By the time the 2:46 mark starts casting a wide net of hard riffs and harmonies, I already feel battered and stretched too thin.  But the melodic mid section is oddly smoothing and puts me back together—just to push me to the gathering storm that is the last half of the song.

"The Descent," is how an interlude should be done—-straight to the point and piecing two halves of an album together while flowing into the next song, which in this case is "Exiles." "Exiles," fires right out of the gate—a battering ram straight to the heart of oblivion.  This is one of the most brutal songs on the album and I love how furious the drums are—they don't let up for a second and pull me through the rest of the song by highlighting the right moments.  About a quarter of the way through, the music pulls back for a brief and melancholic rest but quickly charges back into the gates of hell.

"Open Wounds," has a main riff that is sinister as it is thick—just straight up menacing and asking for trouble.  The vocals are the same, screaming from the gut and releasing what can only be describe as molten death. The overall vibe of the song is groovy, pieced together with dissonant speed that keeps the overall flow charging ever forward. The last forty-five second or so will melt your brain, assuming you survived this far.

The final track, "Conqueror," is the epic in both length (nearly ten minutes) and tone. Clean tones mark the burgeoning moments as they give way to distortion that travels out like a dense fog, covering everything and seeming to have a life of its own. Each vocal line is a lighting strike through this fog, complimented well by the drums.  That low rumble lies just below the surface, watching and waiting. The song never gets ahead of itself, building up methodically—this is a slow death, not an immediate danger. The  ambient noises around the 5:30 mark are a little scary to be honest, the song taking a suddenly dark path.

SISYPHEAN's "Colours Of Faith," is a striking, well written album that works on so many levels—fans of music that require thinking and multiple listens will find much to dive into. Those who want extreme ways will also find much to enjoy in these waters.