Cover Art: Just by looking at the cover would you know that this band’s name is Serenity In Murder? What the fuck is with that logo text? I know that in metal there is a tendency/desire to have a really demonic/magical spell looking band logo but man, I can’t even read any of that shit as words, yes it does look kinda cool but what’s the point if I think your band it called Stufnlitn Muaacg? Besides this band’s logo, we see a city at war or getting it’s shit handled by rain. Yea, this is probably Tokyo because of that tower. Yea, this is another Japanese metal band. Yea, this cover art could have been so much better. Pretty bait.
Album Review: Although the band’s logo is a unclear confusing mess and the cover art is fairly generic, these guys got some seriously good tunes. Shit, these guys know their metal. The style of metal being played here is melodic/symphonic death and a healthy dose of synth being used for most songs, which is fine by me. The guitar work is amazing and the range of riffs are very dynamic and very catchy with almost every song, tempos are variable but always keep it interesting regardless if it’s a fast moving song like “Await Me Your Oath” or a slower almost ballad like song like “The Highest Of Dystopia” at times. Very atmospheric and epic grand sounding. If I were to improve their cover art I would put some giant grim reaper in the sky or some riders of the Apocalypse or medieval warriors/assassins fighting at some gothic Dracula castle or some shit, the picture they chose for their cover just doesn’t reflect the kind of imagery that I’m getting when I hear these guys tunes.
The standard death growls are done very well and never get too extreme to the point where it’s annoying. There is a good number of solos to be heard in this album and they are well placed within each song, never abrupt or have the feeling of, hey bro, slow down the song in this part, I gotta play my ballad solo. There’s nothing particularly new or different here but these guys just do things really well; maybe because their use of synth is not overbearing but carries throughout each song that makes it refreshing and not a one trick pony. Good Stuff.
Score: 8.5