Sombre et un peu déprimante, cet album est un mélange de symphonique,de funéraire et de métal. Jouant beaucoup sur es effets lents, presque statique, par moments presque pathétique, cette oeuvre n'en n'est pas moins dépourvue d'un certain charme, en comparaison de la symphonie II.D'abord parce qu'elle apparait beaucoup moins abrupte, moins longue et aussi parce qu'elle est nettement moins froide et glaciale, plus chaleureuse. Par contre les grognements me donnent envie de grogner :-)

Silent Dreams not a bad track to start with, quite well structured and balanced. They Never Hope, I like the guitar but I don't feel the growling vocalism adds anything to it initially. However, as the track develops and the voice lowers its presence it feels better suited. Ultimately, I prefer the musical efforts without the voice. In themselves they stand up quite well. Conceptually, it is taking quite a high stance and not only do they not hope, they don't think either. There is, for me, a quality versus quantity issue at hand, in more ways than one. If that's cryptic, it proves the point. Again, towards the end, some nice guitar handling. The third track, In The Light of Dying Summer, has a nice, emotive and plaintive piano work element that function well to form a nice beginning, working well with the synthetic layer(s). Quite a well accomplished piece, up to about halfway, then the tone lowers. Its progression seems to get a bit stuck from then on, sort on looping itself for a while, for a bit too long. However, from eight minutes or so onwards, it reverts to a good piece of work again with some nice touches. Never Again, a deeper, darker red comes into play, with rumbling soundscaping and corresponding guitar. Then three minutes or so into it, that growling appears again, and I cannot help but feel it just detracts from the overall accomplishment of what is otherwise a reasonable track. It just feel me with deep, dark, dread, when I hear it. What is the point of it? Overall, not a bad track, apart from the vocalisms, quite a good attempt at progression, which is what being symphonic is all about after all. Painless Careless Faraway, starts beautifully, a lovely piece with a nicer approach to vocalism, that works much better. Holds more emotionality. Still got some needless growling in. The music should and does work fine without it. Finally, Towards The Emptiness, a long slow reverberating beginning and continuation, with some minor flourishes at musical progression.

Great mood setting music. Nice to see a piece of music longer than 3-5 minutes. Would like to see more from these guys.

Listless and depressed, beginning from the vocals which are more half-pronounced grumbles than growls. The tempo is inevitably set at largo. Even the guitars are brought into equation with but an apathetic, distant buzzing set in mind. Nothing wrong with it so far. In fact, there's some care seen to the aesthetic quality of it all, and it comes off as something surprisingly good to listen to, with its own kind of beauty. But then there are some extended symphony sections which give off a whiff of self-importance. The illusion breaks down somewhat. It sounds less hopeless and brooding than it sounds overdramatic and (in a subtle way) angsty. All humane emotions, but maybe too simplistic a portrayal. Music can go a lot further than this... Conclusion: for those wondering what funeral doom + symphonic ambient sound like, here's a good example. Recommended tracks: #2 and #5. (a part of review series "Jamendo Metal")