Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks voivod, appreciate it man.



I’ve listened to this about 20 times and I can’t get over the tracks 6-8 slump. Lay a wreath is weak sauce, but more frustratingly, the other songs have some really great sections to them. The ending to Diluvium is so damn great, and the opening to sirens is cool, but the rest of it is pretty bland imo. Nothing bad on here, but the weak tracks lack that spark modern PL has

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Salvation is possibly one of my favs tracks of the year

Album Rating: 4.0

Salvation is unbelievable, agreed

Yeah, my fave on first listen through.

Album Rating: 4.5

For me Lay Wreath has something from the Believe in nothinh era while Savage days from One Second and Diluvium from Draconian Times. I became a fan during that period more or less so i appreciate these nods. I think that its on par with Obsidian but heavier.



Album slays on so many fronts for me. Their sound is massive.

Album Rating: 3.5

I think Diluvium is strong

Somewhat against the grain I really enjoy tracks 5-8, i think it’s these songs that really separate it from Obsidian. I have been playing Icon 30 a load recently and this run of tracks which incidentally just happen to be death growl free really digs into that sound. In fact, even though I rejoiced when the growls returned on Plague Within, I much prefer his cleans on this album and probably would have enjoyed the album even more if there had been no growling at all - kind of Icon meets tragic Idol by way of Death Unites. But all this rambling aside this album just gets better with each listen and much prefer it to Obsidian.

I don't think they will ever top The Plague Within, but this is definitely a worthy addition to their discography

Album Rating: 3.5

It's very solid but also almost comically unexciting.



I prefer 'Plague Within' by quite a large margin and I also think 'Obsidian' is a shade above it.



'Draconian Times', 'Gothic' and the best half of material to be found on both the 'Icon' and 'One Second' albums are still my peak PL. Had the best energy in the '90s, creative juices in full flow.

Album Rating: 4.0

Somewhat against the grain I really enjoy tracks 5-8[2]



That middle section of the album was a bit of a surprise to me, but I really enjoyed it.

Album Rating: 3.5

Simon k I think you and lay a wreath got off on the wrong foot, time to reintroduce yourselves with a fresh new outlook I reckon.

Been reading reviews of the album across many platforms and that track is getting mostly praise!

I think it’s really quite cool.

Also seen a couple people on other platforms mention savage days as their favourite!

one of the most underrated metal bands of all time

Album Rating: 4.0

Great album. Band has a very solid catalogue behind them.

Album Rating: 3.5

So a few observations:



Similarly to Fearless Sky off Medusa, i think Serpent On the Cross could of benefited more with some clean vocals incorporated into it, even if just as backing in the chorus.



I just feel it needs a little more dynamics and I would of really loved it with some clean vox, but it's still pretty good without. I don't think it needs them quite as bad as Fearless Sky does.



Tyrants is so good, i feel like it could of almost been on self titled or an album like that, and gives me more vintage PL vibes than a lot of songs have done recently.



Silence like the grave is just a kick arse track so satisfying. Its my favourite along with Tyrants.



I really wish the bonus tracks had been incorporated into the album proper, maybe as tracks 7 (Stark Town) and 11 (Life unknown) respectively, with the Precipice still as the closer?



They don't feel like particularly outlier sounding songs, or especially subpar compared to the rest - not at all - so their non-inclusion baffles me.



I can't help but think its more of a decision from the label, to continue their trend of 2 versions of the albums released, standard and bonus. I wish they'd just release it standard with all the tracks, i think the album would of been better for it.



Or if one had to be culled, i'd probably cull 'sirens'. Make it an 11 track album with the current bonus tracks included and sirens becoming the sole bonus track, something like that?



Savage days i think adds some variation to the album more than sirens does. Even though i probably like sirens a little more, it would still be my first to go out of the 12.



I'm grateful for 'wreath', I think it provides some needed contrast and overall dynamics to the album.

Album Rating: 4.5

fuck, Nick's vocals on Salvation are just out of this world. He's sounding better and better, really got his range back it seems (or just studio shenanigans). one of their best songs. wonderful tune. album is monumental, once again. fucking unbelievable

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Amazing record, I even think it might be my fave from the band. Maybe I'm in the minority, but it ticks all the boxes for me. It's heavy, melancholic, varied, fantastically performed (Holmes' vocals sound so, so good here, and Greg's guitar melodies are off the charts)... It is also so well produced, sounding massive but also knowing not to drown everything in noise, and when to let each instrument shine.



I expected a lot but never thought it would be this phenomenal. I'm still not too warmed up on all of the tracks (Diluvium or Sirens, for example), but I think I'll get to love them all with a couple more listens.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Also yeah, Salvation is such a behemoth of a track!

Album Rating: 4.1

Fuck yeah.

"Tyrants Serenade" has a latent Type O Negative vibe, guitars/vocals-wise.

Album Rating: 4.1

You read my mind!