The self-titled fifth studio album (and first with new label Nightmare Records) from Denmark’s Anubis Gate is also, in this reviewer’s opinion, their best yet. The band, compromised of lead vocalist/bass player Henrik Fevre (replacing former singer Jacob Hansen, who has stayed on to produce the album), Jesper M. Jensen (guitar/keyboards) Morten Søresen (drums) and Kim Oleson (keyboards, guitar) have crafted a winner filled with melody, crunch, and huge choruses. The biggest surprise is Fevre’s vocals, which are melodic and show great range and emotional depth.

Each song, from the opening track “Hold Back Tomorrow” to the closing track “Circumstanced” have incredible chops without going into the progressive metal overkill of bands like Dream Theater. Unlike they’re past releases, although great in their own right, there is a greater emphasis with this album on creating memorable hooks without selling out commercially. Just listen to the first single, my personal favorite on the album, “Golden Days” with its instantly memorable metal hook and chorus. Other standouts include the dark and moody “Oh My Precious Life”, “World in a Dome” with its synth and sequencing touches, and the power metal crunch of “Desiderio Omnibus”. Anubis Gate seems poised to take the world of progressive metal by storm! This album is sure to send them to the next level of progressive melodic metal bands 

Rating: 9.0