Denmark's Altar of Oblivion seems to be going for a heavily Doom-tinged Traditional Metal sound on their second full-length, Grand Gesture of Defiance. While there are faster passages, much of the album sticks to a mid-tempo (or slower) pace. The style and playing are reminiscent of Cirith Ungol and While Heaven Wept, though the sound is quite different. The guitars are fuzzy but not quite as thick or heavy as I would have liked. Singer Mik Mentor's voice isn't bad but I found his high-pitched singing annoying and would put it in the "acquired taste" category. I don't hate Grand Gesture of Defiance and there are a few interesting bits (the acoustic "The Smoke-filled Room" is a nice departure from the rest of the album and there is some above-average soloing here and there) but I can't think of much reason to go back to it when it is over. The playing is good but the songwriting isn't and the songs start to blend together in a drone. Not bad, but definitely not essential.