After several starts and stops during the '90s, finally pulled things together and produced their first major release, (their official debut was the eponymous, independently released ). The band's longevity contributes to the confident and mature sound they project throughout this rather short (just over 45 minutes), but enjoyable session. Vocalist 's husky voice is fairly versatile, conjuring up images of , and the thundering rhythm section is relentless. The music is expectedly complex, sounding like a for the new millennium with sprinklings of , , and . The approach is generally heavy, especially on the excellent but is interspersed with softer moments, as evident on the introspective The lengthy is the session's best moment and combines all of the group's best assets into a cohesive and impressive whole. While isn't offering anything that hasn't been heard before, there is an honesty and legitimacy to their sound that makes a worthwhile effort. ~ Robert Taylor