Black metal duo from Melbourne, Australia, SYLVAN AWE, present their second full length, "Transcend." Formed in 2015, S. Callinan and A. Horsman forged their own path within the realms of black metal with their first album "Offering." Their sophomore release presents a more focused and mature sound. Thematically, "Transcend" is a gaze within, by means of a fierce focus to the betterment of oneself...an unrelenting drive for the development and kindling of the primordial spirit within. The album contains seven tracks.

"Overcome" leads us off. It opens with a heavy, dark riff and harsh vocals. Dissonant melodies develop alongside some steady percussion. "O'Sun" begins with melancholy clean guitars and a somber feeling. Rhythm and lead guitars play along nicely, and the darkness presented is somehow calming. The rhythms are oddly similar to the previous track, though the melody is nice. "Transcend" begins with heavier and faster guitars and that "wall of sound" that you have become accustomed to. Unfortunately, the vocals are beginning to become boring, as Stuart delivers the same style over and over again.

"Zenith" is a much shorter song...beginning with some background ambiance before the energetic riff swings in. The somber mood of the track paints a picture of desolation and depression. "Unbound" opens with a fairly different sound than previous tracks. The guitars build a Middle Eastern sound at first, which is soon replaced by more of the same. The sound tries hard to build on the beginning foundations, but it never quite makes it there.

"Return" is another shorter song tat begins with slow, doleful clean guitars. The atmosphere never gets a chance to develop however, because the wall of sound comes in and blasts everything apart. "Winter" is the eight-minute closing track. It opens with slow, distorted guitars and a depressing melody, as one might expect considering the song title. Why does everything seem to move slower during this cold, dark season? Though this song has a wonderfully dark sound to it, I'm afraid it's too little, too late for the album as a whole.

It wasn't a bad album at all, but the repetitive nature of the songs left the album flat. Perhaps it was the vocals, or the guitars...heck, perhaps it was the songwriting itself. I believe it was. Seven songs of nearly the same sound makes for a pretty bland listening experience, and I have always asked the question, "why do so many Black Metal artists rest easy on the sounds that built the genre?" I don't think we will ever get an answer to that question.