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I really like the latter two Anubis Gate albums, as they represent a sort of anomaly in the metal world; prog metal that actually progresses and uses the metal and prog as a unified force to create unique soundscapes, rather than taking them both as separate entities. They really carved a niche for themselves with Andromeda Unchained and the sublime The Detached, and that's why it's such a pain to say this album doesn't live up to their past glories.

The main problem with this is simple – it sounds too much like their last two albums. I guess after The Detached there was really nowhere else to go, because instead of furthering their progression, Anubis Gate has simply released a solid, workmanlike album of their signature melodic, sophisticated metal, complete with soaring choruses and complex rhythmic structures, only much less inspired than usual. Most of these songs just borrow too much from the last couple of albums, with a lot less real progression. Try as I might, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had heard all of these songs before. New singer Henrik Fevre (also the bassist) is pretty good and actually sounds a fair bit like old singer Jacob Hanson, but also like a slightly lesser version. Like you're getting the $5 bargain bin version.

There are good tunes on here, like "Golden Days" and the awesome instrumental "River," but none that live up to the celestial heights of tunes like "Pyramids" or "Yiri" or even "Snowbound." I think it was kind of inevitable that this would happen, as the band would've had to have been inhuman to keep progressing beyond their past two masterpieces, but I also wish there were more actual standouts on here anyway. Frankly what it comes down to is that I see no reason to listen to this when you could listen to The Detached instead, and that's why this is a weaker album. The fanboys will likely love this, but everyone else...go hear the previous two before you move onto this one. This just isn't a particularly luminous album for Anubis Gate. Maybe next time, guys.