There's a funny thing about the much touted "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal" movement which has been gaining recognition in North America as of late, most of the bands leading the charge draw heavy influence from European metal, especially from Sweden in particular. While All That Remains are indeed guilty of such acts, the balance they strike between the differing styles is uncanny. Equal parts thrash, metal, death and more, the band have for the most part smoothed out their hardcore edges here as they unleash a whirlwind display of crisp, technically proficient metal that skillfully mixes old with new.

By no means nostalgic however the band expectedly draw similarities to groups like Shadows Fall (of whom frontman Phillip Labonte was the former singer), Carnal Forge, Lamb Of God and more. What sets them apart though is their precision and how competently they tie everything they attempt together. From breakneck Euro-styled solos complete with intricate basslines to chunky guitar riffs and ample shredding, the band put heavy emphasis on guitar ability and it's refreshing to see. This is not to say the rest of the band pale in comparison though. Death styled vocals meet head-on with throaty barks and searing melodic parts to form a troika of verbal aggression, while the double kick driven percussion adds an unwavering sense of timing and a plethora punchy hits. If that wasn't enough some ethereal acoustic guitar parts and even piano are thrown in as well, building up an intoxicating atmosphere in the process.

Dynamic, grating and for the most part inherently technical, "This Darkened Heart" sounds like the byproduct of a band who grew up on a steady diet of early Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slayer before being introduced to a number of other seminal European metal acts in the early to mid-90's. The progressive leanings and high level of playing ability on hand are weaved within to the surprisingly complex song structures with both grace and stubborn determination, making it hard not to be impressed by them overall. Sure the somewhat old school reminiscent compositions may alienate some of today's metal fans who are looking for little more than full on brutality without any afterthought. There's also a substantial amount of repetition at play here, which when coupled with the albums relatively short running time, may turn off some listeners as well. But for those looking for a little depth and bravado with their cutting edge metal, All That Remains have released a modern metal masterpiece that should easily satisfy their cravings, not to mention wear out their fretboard if they dare try to play along to it.