Formerly known as Trustfall, Massachusetts' own No December have made a considerable dent for themselves in their local scene upon the strength of 1999's "Bright" and last years "Four Song EP", both of which saw a release under their previous namesake. However, it was with the aforementioned EP that the band introduced a new frontman to the fold, bringing about a distinct change in their direction and sound, a move which ultimately led to the change of their moniker. Aside from the new name though, the band have picked right up from where they left off on the EP, honing their craft into challenging sonic exercises that combine slow burning grooves ala Tool with riotous emotion and compelling song structures ignited by cathartic, pointed vocals.

Band frontman, Ryan Potts' warm, yet forceful tones propel the music forth with equal parts anger and introspection, unleashing bellowing howls and ferocious screams that closely resemble a more down to earth and invigorated version of Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan. Backed by fierce guitar riffs that pay ample attention to both atmosphere and straight forward riffing, the music becomes thick and barbed as guitarists Zachary Weber and Steve Cronin slash out rich auditory assaults that dedicate their concentration to the further progression of the songs, rather than doubling up parts or vying for attention. The bass playing is suitably detuned a touch and is laid down with a driving nature that works well within the songs, establishing a concrete base for the group to propel from as hard hit drumming brings up rear; Utilizing crisp cymbal and high-hat work to compliment and soften the blow of well regimented doses of off timed percussion which inject a colorful and often uneasy sense of timing into the tracks as a whole

Overall the bands music is an interesting blend of prog rock restraint and metallic emotional fury, filled with smooth flowing harmonies and songs that continually evolve to a satisfying completion. The musicianship is of a high caliber and comes densely packaged together, touching upon a wide range of emotions without sounding contrived or cluttered. The way the material is written is actually quite impressive as the songs truly feel like cognitive efforts and the group fully pool their collective efforts to create intelligently written material that tenaciously charges forward with an abundance of conviction and intensity. Perhaps the only real downfall here resides in the often similar feel to each song as the album progresses. Though on the surface they possess various different changes and breakdowns, overall the basic formula seems to be a bit overused and the material can tend to blur a bit. This unfortunately is compounded by the lack of any prolonged silent or quiet interludes, which would help to curb the consistently busy feel of the tracks and add a stronger sense of contrasting dynamic energy into the fray. Despite this, "In The Essence Of Innocence", still manages to persevere on its merits and serves as a strong representation of both where the band is headed and their rapid evolution into their own identity. With a bit more variation, they will easily establish themselves as a major player on the independent scene and when judging by how far they've already come since the last EP, it doesn't look like it will be a long journey ahead of them to do so.