"Terminus Ante Quem" is aterm used in archaeology, and (opposed to Teminus Post Quem) used to define that a particular object points out that the objects around it are of older datinng, sor something like that. I won't be too nice with words: I don't like it. It is too avveniristic. Too polished, technical, experimental. Shadows Fall play a kind of Modern Death metal that seems to be made up of only bridges and connections without having real meat. There is a lot of experimentation here, even if not in flashy ways. The music is still Death Metal all the time but sometimes goes dissonant... this all sound quite techcical indeed but just for its own sake. The vocals are nothing speacial really, they have some punch but are somewhere between a brutal grunt and a shout. I just can't really follow the songs (let's skip track 9 which is total instrumetal mix of faint electronics and some guitars). Don't misunderstand me, this is not trippy stuff a la Agony, Skeleton of God or Cephalic Carnage, not even the sheer psychotic riffing of Neuraxis or Bastard Saints, this is just a patchwork of riffs with some keys now and then, some atypical riffs and stuff, but really no meat around the bone. If it was fluid running in a pipe it would have no pressure.

Can live without them. I give a fair six becouse they're good musician and at least they play Death Metal with no fucking techno remixes or gothic shit, but I won't spend money on an average thing like this. Can't tell how the packaging is becouse I have it in a cardboard sleeve, but for sure it will be superb. Cover artwork is from the great studio "Killustrations!", an electric chair in a small room with a baby looking inside. Superlatively made with lots of dirt as usual.

 

Tracks (9): 1 - The Absolute 2 - Narcotic Vision 3 - The Energy of Masses 4 - Interlude 5 - Hunger of Infinity 6 - Efface Yourself 7 - And the Master Says... 8 - Lux Nox 9 - Space of Light