This is touted as 'atmospheric' Black Metal, which can mean one of two things: BM with actual atmosphere, or mood music with some rasping goblin vocals. I was somewhat wary, but in fact this is the good kind. Alienation Cold mix a very harsh guitar sound with some beautiful, flute-like keyboard melodies and shaded tremolo picking to make for a very layered sound that does, in fact, create a powerful atmosphere of cold forests and ancient mountains. Aside from atmosphere, though, there's not a lot going on compositionally. This band has a tendency to go on, and on. Not just because they have long songs, though they do, but they drag out the arrangements needlessly, and rely too much on atmosphere to carry them through the disc. I like the sound of this, and it is an oddly soothing album great for a rainy day when you just want to relax, but I wish it was better than it is.