As implied by the rating above, this is not a bad album at all, veering between reflective neo-folk meanderings and neo-classical grandiosity. The martial stirrings of "Do Not Resist" become the obvious highlight, more than capable of holding its own against material by scene legends such as Von Thronstahl or even Blood Axis.

But the major flaw, the one idiosyncrasy that prevents this album from obtaining a more distinguished rating, are the vocals, which are largely in the form of a spoken word narrative. This can be highly effective when used against a martial background -- such as on the aforementioned "Do Not Resist". But such vocals have less impact when placed against a more melancholic background, and have even less impact when there is little variance in tone. Wisely, "real" female vocals are present during the more serene sections, but the spoken word is used far too much.

To conclude, the album has its moments, but the vocals are an unnecessary barrier to what could have been a truly outstanding release.