The grind planets are back with heaps of power metal racing at 90 m.p.h. and vocals from horror movie soundtracks. The lead-off cut displays the newer style of music that Steve describes in the interview this issue. The riffs and rhythms really are structured with heavy, gothic, Iron Maiden-style power metal in mind, and the vocals are easier to understand. The intro to "Distarnish Priest" is the biggest example of the slower, power metal vibe. The vocal breaks here are intense, timed as well as some of the classic early Vengeance material. The breakdown section shreds! It slows down and the important lines of the chorus are shouted/chanted out with urgency: "I'm clean, washed in the blood/Sanctified inside-out/I'm dead to Satan's grasp/Justified by the cross." "Grind Planetarium" is the best presentation on the whole "rock star attitude" that I've ever seen: "Manipulation of others to bring about success/Abomination/Those of flesh will see you're false...Christian warfare/Kill the stars, exalt the cause/Mass exposure is what we want, but for our Lord." I want to shout, "Yeah, preach it brother!" but also scream "Ouch!" as I examine my own heart. "Overseer" has the coolest, most demented stereo effect of distortion I've heard in a while. The incessant riff to this song is repetitive though, like the previous two Mortification albums. "Human Condition" features some cool vocal shout/call and response BGV's that remind me of a Believer or early Living Sacrifice delivery. "Vital Fluids" delivers another crystal-clear all-important invitation-like message that is decipherable to most--even at a casual listen: "If anyone is thirsty/Come to Christ and drink/Whoever believes in Christ/Living water flows from Him." Besides the usual guitar show-boating that metal is known for, the other two members of Mortification have their chance to get noticed too. There's some really cool industrial-like drumming in "This Momentary Affliction," followed by a mean bass instrumental called "Flight Of Victory." Mortification has crafted some killer tunes here that show the maturation in songwriting and tightness that two previous albums and extensive touring all over Australia has brought. Overall, the majority of this album is Mortification music that I can actually enjoy listening to--a good mixture of groove and gargantuan grind--as opposed to nothing but flat-out blast beats and gurgling death vocals.