Reviewed by Andy Shaw

Aletheian formed back in 1997 under the name Crutch. After a major line-up change in 2003 they decided to change their name to Aletheian (the Greek for "truth"). In 2007 they signed to IronClad Recordings, a subsidiary of Metal Blade Records, and re-released this album, originally issued in 2005. Aletheian's sound is pushing more on the progressive side of metal with jagged riffs and technical time changes on tracks such as "Broken Legacy" mixed in with acoustic interludes and intricate instrumental passages found in "Burnt Offerings" and "Open Grave". There are a couple of key elements that slightly let the album down. When listening to a metal album you want it to really hit you hard in the face; in places the lack of powerful production values mean it is more like a gentle slap. The vocals are also not the strongest around with the low growls of Joel Thorpe sometimes becoming a little lost in the mix. Having said that, the band's instrumental flare shows massive technical ability. If progressive metal is your thing then I would definitely recommend checking out these Pennsylvanian rockers.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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