Although Dearly Departed may have only released what was a rough outline of their abilities with "The Remains Of Marianne Mayweather", the group have now fully fleshed out their intentions and craft with "Believing In Ghosts". A crescendo of spiraling indie rock with existential journeys into the realms of alternative and space rock, this bands emotive blend of soaring melodies recalls those of groups like Shun, Celebrity and recent Codeseven.

Suppressed aggression is held just below the surface of the weary lovelorn sounding vocals as wave upon wave of engulfing instrumentation recklessly crash forth. With a robust rhythm section in place, the band unwaveringly plod along through track after track of conflicted melancholy, allowing politely experimental guitar squeals and jangling chords to branch off and fully ensnare the listener. With such emphasis being placed upon them, the guitar parts and vocals are the easily the most endearing qualities this band have to offer and luckily enough they are placed right at the forefront to lead the material on.

Although not as dynamically paced as some of their peers, Dearly Departed still manage to retain a fairly timid momentum which can make for a number of engaging, if not somber moments. The heavy handed usage of instrumentation on hand is also a plus, as it quickly becomes the veritable mortar between the basic bricks of the bands arsenal. But while the songs are heartfelt and earnestly written, one can't help but feel there is a distinct lack of ebb and flow throughout the album. The overall pacing is sadly quite tepid, rarely showing much progression from track to track, providing little more than a wall of imposingly humble noise. While this can be a boon if the listeners mood is in the right place, the sobering experience it provides on brighter days may cast too much weight upon ones shoulders to appreciate it.