WITHIN PROGRESS get personal with this new LP, touching on themes around human behavior, spirituality and emotions such as trauma, as seen & heard on the single "Hidden Wound", the broader term of love in "Absolute Circle" and the evaluation & meaning of the "self" in "True Colours". However, the group also reflects globally addressing major modern issues like climate change on the gloomy animated clip "Destructional" and the Syrian civil war on "Sky We Want, Sky We Love". The members of the band are unified by the concept of impermanence, a philosophical idea that describes an uninterrupted, continually developing process or state of mind. This release speaks for this concept and is but a small piece of the gigantic structure the group is planning to unveil as they traverse along their evolutionary path. The album contains twelve tracks.

"Sky we Want, Sky we Love" opens the album. Soft piano notes and vocals open the album, leading to a heavier riff, high with melody. The vocalist has quite the range, and the rest of the instruments work quite well together. For an independent release, these guys are pretty tight, and the production is done well. "Absolute Circle" opens with keys and leads to a wide open set of hooks that are quite catchy. A well done guitar solo amidst some really strong melodies follows. This is emotional music with big, lush choruses. "Destructional" shows some of the band's more Progressive tendencies. Big guitar accents open the song, then it reduces to just harmonized vocals and some ethereal elements in the background. It also shows some of the darker side of the album, with heavy and weighted passages.

"Reach for the Stars" begins with a big, heavy riff with a repeated lead guitar pattern. Going into the chorus, the vocal harmonies soar. It's a simple melody, but oh so effective. "Hidden Wound" begins with bass guitar notes and a weighted riff. It's a slower song with another big chorus, and the accents are rich and full. The ending section is both powerful and moving, and it's clear the bands knows when to turn it up. "Sunlight Whispers" begins with some softer acoustical tones and smooth vocals. It rolls forward with dreamy and ethereal elements, and positive message. The acoustic melodies that close the song are also quite catchy.

"True Colours" opens with some Djent-like elements from that big guitar note bend and some background keys. The vocal harmonies are on point once again, and they deliver another big, memorable chorus. "Us, The Constellations" opens with a shifting riff of guitar and keys following one another through tight passages, showcasing the skills of the band. Those bass guitar melodies are also excellent. It opens up with some hefty melodies, but the spoken word passages are just a bit odd. The keyboard note ending swings it back however. "Absence of Judgement" is a tender song that gives you pause to think. It swells with sound after the half-way mark and really does a nice job of pushing the melody out into the open.

"Of a Ruminant" is the longest on the album, beginning with thick bass guitar notes and some smooth vocals. It moves slowly and then takes a long ambient turn for much of the song. But the piano led passage towards the end is really nice...a crescendo builds and it ends on some chunky bass notes. "Pathos" closes the album. It begins with dark clean guitar and piano tones. "Pathos" means "a quality that evokes pity or sadness." It's an interesting closing song, following some dreamy sounds, leading to a fuller sound that builds in layers and finishes on a simple but cogent melody that stays in your ears long after the song ends.

The band has all the right ingredients to be very special in the genre of Progressive Metal...a singer with a set of pipes, and musicians who clearly know their way around their instruments. For a debut album it is chocked full of big hooks and melodies, and it very easy to listen to. Twelve songs are a lot to take in, but the album doesn't get repetitive. Bravo, fellas, and you have a really nice debut here. This is a band to keep an eye on for sure.