Following the debut of the eponymous demo released late last year, the duo which forms STRESS ANGEL has unleashed unto the world their collaborated full-length release, Bursting Church.

The album opens with the track, "Flaming Kingdom," a shuddering introduction sounding as vinyl noise and dampened rain which allows for an organ to sweep in slowly painting the scene in a dismal display; upon a hastened change in tone the song ushers forth and springs to life as the instruments leap into the forefront of the Black Metal piece. The constant change in progression and performance keeps the listener attentive to whatever may come next. Commencing with a subtle silence the title track, "Bursting Church," burgeons unto the mix crafting an image of a world in flames and cinder, the fading dissonant lead reaching out as a dying grasp as the song fades into silence.

"Life Alert" commences on a series of beeping illustrating a flatline as the dreary and dismal guitars drive the song forward, the eventual verse is couple with vocals pleading despair and synth creating descensions. The song changes form near about 3 minutes in, then lending itself towards a hastened progression albeit with similar vocals. "Angel Of Stress" is one of the tracks that carried over from the demo-as well a direct reference to the naming convention of the band-and offers, quite strangely, constant motion in its progression and a direction in which its aimed only hindering itself for its break. "The Human" is the final track upon the LP shifting between fast and slow on a multitude of occasions each transition creating tension that comes to a peak for the outro of the record, a culmination of the band in full.

Given the style and approach the instrumentation is indelible and quite well crafted where despite its bleak and dreary tone every instrument is granted a sense of permanence and fits in specifically into its own niche in the record never once fighting for dominance. The guitars are closely panned denying a great amount of contrast between the rhythms, but their distinct separation from the bass offers enough to accentuate certain elements and drive others. The bass is a powerhouse in the mix constantly forcing those deeper frequencies that even the kick can't manage. The drums bring the whole of the mix together creating tension and unity in sections that would not exist were it not for the percussion.

Overall Bursting Church is an album which sits well between Black Metal and Death Metal, STRESS ANGEL has managed a great introduction for themselves and is certain to draw the attention of old school and contemporary fans alike given their sound.