Firmly rooted in the dark folk genre as Sub Luna may be, there seems
to be an element of popular melody creeping up from among the male
vocals and melancholic guitar touches, rather than a more northern
feel. _In the Shade of Time_ consists mostly of acoustic guitar and
percussion, led by the aforementioned vocals, but other types of
strings are also used -- not violin or cello, but instead the likes of
slide guitar. The music is generally relaxed, built from laid back
melodies and repetitive rhythms. Therein lies the problem as far as I
am concerned, because _In the Shade of Time_ tends to lose my interest
for that very reason: each song rarely goes anywhere different or
evolves into something gripping. As it is, the music remains quite
pleasant to the ear, but ultimately of little consequence or enduring
effect.The limited edition of _In the Shade of Time_ includes a bonus six-song CD, clocking in at about 23 minutes, titled _The Spring of Resentment_. This bonus disc consists of older material of a more apocalyptic tone. The songs are darker and less refined than the new material, and I for one prefer the bonus CD to the actual album, which seems rather ironic.