This album quite literally caught me by surprise: just after inserting it in my PC, a video starts playing at full volume. I didn't even see it coming, wow. It's a powerful introduction though: the video is standard metal-band-plays-a-song footage, but when it's backed up with truculent music, you just keep watching it anyway. From that one tune, Sin of Kain clearly illustrates that mean business - a statement simply proved true by the rest of the album. For once, there's a plain description given to a band that (a) is actually correct, and (b) entails much more than you might think (usually it's the other way around, unfortunately).
"Progressive death/black metal" is the genre, and the Hungarians execute it with mastery. Progressive just refers to the use of a keyboard, but when it plays even on the slow, growling passages, you think you're just listening to great, ordinary death metal. It's a perfect example of how a subtle instrument can enrich a style that is otherwise already complete. Where Sin of Kain's approach begins to arouse interest, is at the point they start blending in symphonic/progressive black metal elements. The synth is shifted forward (once even to a small solo passage), and if you'd single out the most ethereal instrumental measures, the first thing you'd think of would be Emperor. Not a very frequent or dominating reference, but it's just to demonstrate how far "The End" is reaching. The production is forceful and clear, and shows the band excelling in every step of the process.
For someone accustomed to extreme metal, this album is a feast - and my ears keep devouring with the utmost pleasure.
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AUTHOR: Goran
Goran has been an active reviewer for years (since the old Fishcomcollective, to the brand new Corazine - and also for Face Your Underground). He enjoys - besides metal - the creative side of life, be it through music, sports, programming or 3D. You can find him at www.myspace.com/fdemets.