It looks like those long hard winters spent paying dues in the Canadian underground have finally paid off as Buried Inside have landed themselves a U.S. record deal with Relapse for this, their third full-length opus. Expertly produced by the much-heralded Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis), the band have delivered a 40 minute conceptual effort with a theme that could loosely be described as an attack on time and the absolute power it wields over society.

Cleverly titled "Chronoclast" (aka time plus iconoclast, get it?), this album sees a dirge of experimentation, from ethereal strings to rapid-fire drumming that would make Dave Witte proud; and the elephantine quality this outfit exercise does much to fortify the aural punishment they fiercely dish out. The droning nature and generally weighty feel will ultimately bring about comparisons to acts like Isis and Neurosis - and rightfully so as the sound featured here is terrifyingly monolithic. But there is a fervent energy in place as well that sees elements of highly animated Converge-reminiscent noise creating an auditory struggle comparable to that of a drowning man desperately struggling against an undertow. This duality and undeniable contrast is what manages to keep the bands music entertaining as the album progresses.

The palpable sense of strife and struggle is greatly fleshed out by the dense instrumentation and a cathartic, albeit highly indulgent, performance is put on display as a result. Unfortunately, on a track by track basis (even though the album was written as a 40 minute single piece), the overwhelming feel of turgid downward momentum and lack of color do become more than a bit tedious. Still, those looking for something to fill in the gap on their playlist in-between Isis' "Panopticon" and Cult Of Luna's "Salvation" will find this to be a perfect fit. But that's not to say that "Chronoclast" is the best way to kill time by any means.