Debut was really good. Hoping this will be even better.

Really great album! There's not many Doom bands I really care for anymore but this band is exciting. There is so many beautiful melodies that music feels pretty relaxing at times. Only slight minus is that this doesn't sound much different from debut but that might change after a couple of more listens.

Top 1 album of 2023, holy god damn good!

I'm only 2 tracks in but this is so much better than the debut! Their melodic sensibilities took quite a leap!

This is a brilliant album I can completely understand the praise it's been receiving, it deserves it. The songwriting is great and the solos are exceptional.

"Crumbling Pillars Of A Tranquil Mind" is the stand out for me, with "Harbingers" closely following, the past few tracks aren't quite as impressive imo, but still decent quality songs.

One of the best albums in 2023 so far

This is absolutely beautiful. It’s like all the best finnish music is coming out of the states and Canada this year. First Atavistia and now this!

Masterpiece ! simply incredible this band a perfect guttural mixed with that melodic atmosphere that blows your head off, long songs that don't get boring at all, I recommend these 2 albums that the band already has in physical format either CD or vinyl.
very much in agreement with previous comments, this could be the best of 2023.

I am surprised no one is talking about the production. Its change compared to the first album is the first thing that struck me.. It even bothered me for a little while until I got used to it. I am no mixing expert, but my feeling is that the bass / drum combo is much denser and heavier. It changes drastically the vibe of this album compared to the first, to something more agressive and dark, while the first always felt light and soft (in a good way). In the end, I can't decide which of those production styles I like best, both work wonders for the album they're used on.

Now that being said, the songwritting is just as wonderful as on the first one. The drumming in particular feels so beautiful to me, it knows when to accelerate, when to stay back and let the melodies fill the spaces, and it has lots of interesting and unusual grooves. The symphonic elements are even more present than on the first, and that's great, they are doing this really well. To me, this album confirms that Fires in the Distance are their own thing in a death doom scene where many bands sound a bit alike.

I'm usually very conservative with my 9s and 10s, but this is getting an easy 9, and will get a 10 if it stands the test of time.

Written by Liafev on 29.04.2023 at 12:30

I am surprised no one is talking about the production. Its change compared to the first album is the first thing that struck me.. It even bothered me for a little while until I got used to it. I am no mixing expert, but my feeling is that the bass / drum combo is much denser and heavier. It changes drastically the vibe of this album compared to the first, to something more agressive and dark, while the first always felt light and soft (in a good way). In the end, I can't decide which of those production styles I like best, both work wonders for the album they're used on.

I have not yet listened to first album (but definitely will), but the production of this one actually blew me away in a good way - very 'chunky' but in the same time maintaining very wide soundscape with lots of layered spaces that are filled with melodies, drums and all the other intricacies that make up the compositions. Masterfully done! I feel not many bands have mixes like these nowadays. Listening on a headphones is really an amazing journey - especially considering that the songs are amazing too. Definitely AOTY candidate for me for now!

I'd never heard of the band until yesterday when I saw this topping the album list here. What a find!

Really well produced, good ideas, very fun to listen to. One can see where their influences lie but it's in no way a copy of a copy of a copy. It's technical enough and the best part IMO is the flow of the riffs. It goes seamlessly from one riff to the other, from song to song, start to end. However I felt it was a bit too long/dragging at some points. In any case a very good album.

2023 is going pretty well so far for metal

Great album
has associations of Be'Lakor and Eternal Tears of Sorrow

have changed rating from 8 to 9

Written by Liafev on 29.04.2023 at 12:30

it has lots of interesting and unusual grooves.

This was one of the highlights for me. Amazing sense of timing to make le grooves.

The ending of "Idiopathic Despair" is sublime. So heavy and harrowing simultaneously...

Loved this album. It's like slowed down Insomnium or Be'lakor.

This and Austere's album have such a rich production and immense sound. They sound like the type of big albums we've been missing in recent years. AOTY candidates, those two.

Very pleasantly surprised how enjoyable this is, nice atmosphere and flow.

Enjoyed it a lot on first listen and it's kept growing. Real gem.

Great, great piece of music. Fabulous, splendid and wonderful. Heavy, aggressive and yet atmospheric and melodic. Love the growling, sounds like Hypocrisy on Fourth Dimension.

(there must be some lost 50 pence fan hiding somewhere here as someone rated this gem 1... Really???)

Not really doing a whole lot for me. Not a huge van of the vocals or the melodic/heavy mix of songwriting. Clearly I'm in the minority however.

Happy I stopped this to go put on the new Austere though.

I thought this was very good, but not #2 of the year good. I'm getting jaded though, haven't been legit impressed with an album since Sonivinos

Amazing album, never thought the melodic stuff could combine so good with the melancolic mood of the Doom Metal, but those guys delivered it in an overwhelming performance.

The melodic synthesizers remind me a lot of Dimmu Borgir's Enthroned darkness triumphant album you know morning palace ... especially on the first two tracks....
This album is a real beuty!!! AOTY Stuff here ....

The album has tons of chord strokes, doomy guitar, dream piano, and Agalloch moments. I've realised that it was been awhile since I'd listened to chord-metal. Well, if I could say, if I divide metal music into two categories, they would be chord-metal and riff-metal. Anyway, I could give the album 10/10 but the album feels somewhat lacking in creativity, for it has too much resemblance to Agalloch. But I'll look forward to their next album.

Yeah. This band is really something

In all honesty, this is one of the best doom albums I've ever heard, (perhaps due to the melodeath and symphonic influences) not a single issue to be found. The tracks portray different moods, atmospheres and images, with the production and performance being great too. Definitely deserves its rating, April was a great month for releases.

Album of the Year for me. Pleasantly surprised by the guitar work here. The riffs reminded me of Duskmourn in some places.

With this, and Saturnus' album coming next month, this quarter is going to pretty sweet