I didn't think too much of any of the previous Usnea albums, so I don't remember well enough to compare to this one, but I'm a bit surprised to see such an unenthusiastic response (as much as I am to be enjoying it so much). There isn't a whole lot of black metal on this album, save a few tremolo-picked riffs and some notable passages in the last song; it's definitely more of a funeral doom album with a rich atmosphere. Andy mentioned Katatonia in his review and that's not a bad comparison - Usnea do not seem interested in replicating the melancholy you get from the classic gothic death-doom bands, but they do have some similar layered lead guitar melodies going on throughout the album. That makes a big difference in memorability when it comes to extreme doom. I like the vocals, too, and the drums are a tad more aggressive than I think is typical of ultra-slow doom. I'm not sure I'm yet convinced to give a fresh listen to their first three albums, but I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this.