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I thought Wolves In The Throne Room's debut album Diadem Of Twelve Stars was one of the best Black Metal albums ever made, and so words cannot describe how excited I was to have this fall out of my mailbox - I hadn't even known for sure they had a new one out. Again we are presented with more of the nature-inspired wizardry of this most iconoclastic of bands. However, good as this is, it is not as good as their last one.

Now again, that's not saying much, and this is still a fine disc. "Dia Artio" opens things up with a majestic instrumental passage, and then the best song "Behold The Vastness And Sorrow" comes rolling forth like a wave. Again this band makes enormous use of dynamic and chords and modes that build tension rather than resolving it, until when the payoff hits it is that much more impressive. All the songs on here are strong, but they just don't quite reach the breathtaking levels of the debut. This album does not have the unified, complete feeling of the last one, and my overall impression is of a transitional album. The more direct Black Metal passages are less innovative and more standard, not as integrated with the moodier passages, like the first part of "Clearing".

But still, this album grows and creeps on you like a vine, and every listen reveals something new to enjoy. For esoteric songwriting filled with odd beauty and haunting atmosphere, there is no other band quite like Wolves In The Throne Room.