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This is the much-anticipated second proper album for French underground legends Celestia, who have released a shitload of splits and demos, but only two proper albums. Quite a coup for Paragon records to snag as highly-regarded a release as this one.

Celestia play a generally slower, more moody breed of Black Metal, akin to depressive acts like Forgotten Tomb or Shining without slipping completely over the edge. A lot of the guitar work on here is quite good, with chromatic riffing that shows a lot of depth and melody. Keys are used sparsely, and don't obtrude. The songwriting here is pretty damned good, but it could stand to be tightened up a little, as a lot of these compositions seem to go on too long. If I have one real complaint, it's that the vocals are a very one-dimensional screech, and are nowhere near as emotive or expressive as the music.

If you are expecting an epochal release, then you will likely be disappointed. But this is a good, solid album of bleak Black Metal deeply in the French school, and just because it's not a masterwork doesn't mean it's not cool.