Germany births a vast array of great Melodic Death Metal bands these days. It is a shame that so few of them are getting the international acclaim that they deserve, especially when they've been around as long as DARK AGE. Not to mention the fact that they have consistently released masterpiece after masterpiece, constantly evolving their sound and experimenting in a variety of different ways. As expected, their sixth full length (seventh if you like to count "Remonstrations") is yet another fabulous addition to an extraordinary catalogue of work.

"Acedia" is quite varied in its style, but a little toned down from their last couple records. Many of the verses feature soft yet elegant guitar pieces combined with light wind atmospheres and clean vocals before exploding into the blisteringly fast mind assaults that they've recently come to be known for. There's more of a light gothic aftertaste to the songs in the vein of their older material, which long time fans will surely appreciate. The composition is incredible on every track, with a wide range of transitions from quiet and euphoric, to fast and groovy, to heavy and melodic, and then you get to the clean and catchy refrains we all love. Expect to hear some of the most intuitive guitar solos, as per usual, and take splendor as they work their way slowly into the choruses.

Trying to pinpoint the absolute highlights of "Acedia" is a migraine-inducing chore, as all the songs seem to compete with each other for top spot. "Kingdom Nevercome" is classic DARK AGE aggression at its best, while "10 Steps To Nausea" is probably the most catchy of the tunes. "Halo Meridian" and "All The Unfulfilled" offer up some jaw dropping Death Doom inspired atmospheres alongside some beautiful vocal work.

This is definitely one of the most impressive efforts of the year, and it comes just in time to end off another great year of inspirational Metal music. If you have the option of getting the bonus track version, it is more than worth your money.