Twelfth full-length for Novembers Doom, a full twenty years after their undeniable high point with The Pale Haunt Departure. Will I ever review an album by this band without harping on about that one? Only when they manage to make a new album that's anywhere near as good. Novembers Doom albums have been getting blander over the years, to the point that I forgot I even heard their last one, Nephilim Grove, back in 2019.

I will say I like this one better than that one. This one has some bite to it, with real crunching Doom riffs and Paul Kuhr wielding his growl, which is much more interesting than his clean singing. Generally, when this album is harder and faster, it sounds better. The riffs are solid, and some of the lead work is really first-rate, but these songs are often too drawn-out and don't have enough interest to sustain them through their running times. A step up from their last, but not a big one.