Thankfully it seems the trio were blessed with foresight enough to anticipate this, and subsequently _Southern Storm_ sees them cramming more dynamics and inventive songwriting into fifty minutes than perhaps the entire Krisiun discography combined. At times they're bordering on being downright experimental -- "Contradictions of Decay" filters a satisfyingly disingenuous melody into its otherwise bludgeoning assault. A quintessentially Brazilian interlude on "Black Wind" teases us until the record climaxes with the unusually epic "Whore of the Unlight". They even do a fine job of covering Sepultura's "Refuse / Resist", though it must be said that theirs lacks the desperate rancour of the original version.

Progressive tinges aside, at its core _Southern Storm_ remains death metal the way Krisiun have reliably delivered for the last eighteen years -- vicious, blasting and thoroughly unrelenting. Undoubtedly this is their most complete and well-rounded opus to date, but it's one that's unlikely to appeal if you've never bought into their brand of extremity in the past. If you're like me however, prepare to be transported to death metal nirvana.