Transcendence - Towards Obscurities Beyond LP

At long last, it arrives in the form of Towards Obscurities Beyond. As the band promised upon signing with BLOOD HARVEST, here do the quintet take the style of Hour of the Summoning and add a distinctly more melodic touch ala Dissection and early Necrophobic. While no doubt nodding to the '90s, the TRANSCENDENCE unfurled here retain a timeless quality, a cutting-yet-classy sound that's DEATH METAL through and through but effortlessly guides the listener across vast, windswept vistas of the imagination - dark, fantastical vistas, to be sure. A cursory glance of the grim-yet-graceful Adam Burke cover art certainly gives some clues, but delve deeper into Towards Obscurities Beyond and be met with majesty that's purple 'n' blue in spirit but red, white, and blue in execution: neither too raw nor too clean, neither categorically nasty nor nice, TRANSCENDENCE simply have found a nigh-perfect balance of songwriting imagination, finessed chops, and just-dynamic-enough production that all combine into something equally fresh and classic.