"Allegiance" starts off with the expected sci-fi type intro which leads to the actual song, filled with blast beats and haunting guitar work. Shagrath's vocals sound great here as on every track with snarls of pure hatred. On "Progenies of The Great Apocalypse" the backing clean vocals are amazing. This is the albums single and made for quite an awesome video. The song strays away from the normal Dimmu/polished black metal formula. Its slower and uncompromisingly heavy, and the backing of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra adds to their larger than life sound.
Nick Barker's presence is a welcome addition to the band. His inhuman ("technically enhanced" ) performance isn't too over the top but still impressive. He quite literally sounds like a machine on "Lepers Among Us." That can be taken as a compliment or an insult...its really up to the listener. The guitars all sound clear and although Galder doesn't throw out many solos he and Silenoz churn out some sick riffs and intricate melodies through out Death Cult. The keyboard element of Dimmu Borgir is still present but is somewhat overshadowed by the massive power of the orchestra. Overall this is a very good release and although not many of the songs leap out and grab you, they all flow well and fit together perfectly.
Standout Tracks:
Progenies of The Great Apocalypse
Lepers Among Us
Uredesbyrd
Cataclysm Children
Heavenly Perverse