Salvation

For their third album, Swedish stalwarts added a seventh member, , a second keyboardist who concentrates on samples and effects. largely keeps to the background for most of , however. Don't worry, they haven't turned into or anything. Indeed, is perhaps 's most accomplished and strongest album yet. The sense of dynamics that's been the band's strong suit all along is on full display here, with most of these eight lengthy songs (none under five minutes, and half over ten) featuring long passages of sparse, quiet music that at times are genuinely rather pretty. The near- opening section of might even remind listeners of the epic of the same title, and the closing track, has a fluid, bass-led section that recalls some of 's later work. These moments of musical respite only increase the power of the full-on onslaughts when they come in. Where many similar albums become numbing after a while, is strong without being bludgeoning. ~ Stewart Mason