From Bandcamp, “Formed in Quebec in 2000 by Dishcord (Apocryphes) and Scythrawl, TRAILS OF ANGUISH are an aggressive yet melodic black metal band that sought to express their emotions in the most cathartic way possible. While the future was looking bright for TOA, the explosive energy that permeated throughout their live shows and studio sessions had fizzled out and so the band unceremoniously faded away.”

“Beyond Charismatic Sickness” is the first cut. Out of the gate, what hits the listener first is the overly treble production as well as some amateur qualities in the music. The vocals screams are screams of torture, and the drums have an ever-steady presence. “Laments of Martyrised Innocence” is a chaotic affair at first but it does slow. Unfortunately, when it does, you can hear some tuning issues in the guitars. “Reaping Life’s Frailty” has a strong guitar presence and it if wasn’t for the awful production, they would fit better with the music, which is again fairly loosely structured.

…And Desolated Trails of Anguish” is a slower and sobering song, as the title suggests. Torture and pain combine with depression and hopelessness in this song, and there are also some varied vocal presentations. “Haunting” has absolutely a harrowing and tortured sound, and it’s the kind of song that reflects the frightening experience of what a haunting might feel like quite well. “Spectral Life Scars” seems to move forward at the speed of light and the band wastes no time with this burner. There is a nice, slowed part, which allows the scars to re-freshen a bit as well. “Scathed, Gaping Misery” is a delicate affair, focusing on the laments of a man living his misery in full bloom.

“Rebirth” closes the album; a fitting title for someone with a horrible life who just wants to cash it all in and start over. Overall, this wasn’t a bad album by any stretch, it just suffered from really bad production and some amateur issues that could have been smoothed over in the hands of the right producer. But hey, I get it, it’s Black Metal, so you don’t want it too overproduced.