Vancouver, BC’s SVNEATR will be releasing their third album, “Never Return,” via Prosthetic Records on May 10. Three years in the making, the progressive black metal group’s latest full-length was one born of personal and collective uncertainty. Ten years since SVNEATR’s inception, Never Return sees the band boldly approach their creative zenith. The album has six songs.

“Mechanical Wolves” is first. After a clean opening, a thick Black Metal sound grows from your feet upward, and the pace is slow and grinding. “Never Return” begins with solemn tones from the guitar until a tangled Black Metal sound spews forth, but not without some melody in the guitars. The main riff shifts so that the listener is kept guessing what comes next, and the lead breaks are fantastic. “…And When Comes the Storm” begins with a palate of clean vocals. The guitar sound is still pretty beefy, and when they unleash it along with harsh vocals, you are keenly aware. Their use of melody is subtle as times, and expansive at others. “Omen” begins with meaty bass guitar notes and a riff that is thicker than blood, and the vocals lash out in angry bursts. The main sound also rides the fence between dissonance and melody.

“Blackout” begins with clean, tense tones, seguing into an ominous ride from there. The sound is so thick, it could blot out the sun, and some symphonic elements help to round out the torture. “Reaper of the Universe” closes the album. It has a powerful opening riff, akin to the fear you feel as a reaper approaches. With him, he brings pestilence and death. The dissonance grows but suddenly backs off as a melodic clean passage takes over unexpectedly. But the overgrown sound returns like a massive weed fed with fertilizer. This was an excellent album, and the way the band blended hardened Black Metal elements with melodies was quite impressive. If you like your souls thick and dark, with a side of sweet blood, give this album your time.