Said it and put the CD into the player and the corners of my mouth went south. Why? Well, the first two songs "The Circle Of Six" and "Mercurian Soulscape" are smoking Hyperspeed-Black Metal, with a rather limited amount of melodies and at times too confusing song-structures, I lack the focus there. I almost had written off the record, but then with "In Invidiam" it starts - the epicism, the melodies were back!

Yes, the six Finnish blackroots still can do it, well structured and arranged Melodic Black Metal, which still differs from the standard, because time and again an instruments takes an unexpected and unusual twist and breaks the flow of the compositions in a positive way by making you listen up. That is, of course, only when you listen really closely, which I see as very positive as you have to/can really concentrate and not only remain on the surface.

Except for this ALGHAZANTH do not bring much new stuff into Black Metal, but you have to be able to write such grandiose melodylines as in "In Invidiam" or especially "Regained Planetary Possession", that the guys can play stands out of doubt, even though I do not like "The Circle Of Six", so the drum-performance of Gorath Moonthorn is more than impressive! What also has to be remarked positively are the lyrics, which are not utilising the typical Black Metal-clichés, but are pretty much worth reading.

Packed into a visually very pleasing booklet (cover, layout and also backcover) I can only tell you: Don't let the first two tracks fool you, ALGHAZANTH still are epic, but damn heavy Black Metal with great melodies, just for the first two attacks there is one point deduction!