This Essex six-piece burst onto the scene in 2003 with brutal introductory EP "The Treachery Pact". Produced by the legendary Kurt Ballou of Converge, tracks like "Ephemera" and "Cold Light" garnered comparisons to the aforementioned Converge, the perennial comparison with any band who are a little bit noisy to the undisputed kings of modern noise, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and other acts like Neurosis, ISIS and Mastodon.

The album is not an entirely different prospect, but it has definitely harnessed their ferocious sonic assault into a more controlled, harmonious sound. Not saying they don't kick up shit like nobody's business, though.

From some corners, this album has been described as "Sigur Ros meet Converge head on". And, risking being damned as a lazy journalist, this is what I'm gonna settle on. Ner-ner. Opener 'Solstitium' is a jingly-jangly bit, before 'Maine go straight for the jugular with 'Hail Satan'. Highlights include 'Hunter And The Hunted', sounding like Mogwai if they'd spent their youth listening to Slayer instead of Aphex Twin. 'I Am What You Are' sounds like it could belong on ISIS' latest effort 'Panopticon', and 'Do Not Move A Muscle' is probably the best track on the record, full of battling guitars and rhythms aching to shine through.

I'm not gonna lie to you - 'To You The First Star' takes patience to get into. But it's worth it when you realise you've discovered one of the UK's very best metal bands.