Norwegian death metaler's Extol have rapidly become one of the European metal arena's premiere ensembles. Introducing a progressive edge to the standard black/death genre, and often incorporating elements of jazz, tech, and classical into their metal design, the band quickly climbed up through the extreme metal ranks. After releasing two well-received full-lengths through Christian hardcore/metal upstart Solid State Records ('98's "Burial" and '00's "Undeceived"), the group have now chosen to also align themselves with Century Media Records, readying a new album to usher in their ascension to one of metal's most widely respected labels. "Synergy" begins a new chapter in Extol's continued evolution as a metal band, delivering the black/death aesthetic that has driven past albums while infusing accelerated doses of thrash to the formula and expanding on the band's melodic slant. This widespread metal diversity allows the band to reach well beyond the boundaries of mere death metal, opening up their range of appeal to encompass fans of Slayer, Meshuggah, Killswitch Engage and Opeth equally.

What is quickly apparent in comparison to the group's past two albums is how the band have inherited a more direct thrash approach to their abrasive death metal exterior. The move has made Extol's intricate technical skills all the more apparent, accentuating David Husvik's often overlooked percussive versatility and highlighting the strong guitar technique of Ole Bfrud and Christer Espevoll. Never is this more apparent than on the aptly titled "Thrash Synergy", as their labyrinthine musical complexity and domineering aggression collide, making this the album's heaviest number. In fact, the dominant guitar presence often overshadows Jon Robert Mjãland's low-end capabilities, only allowing him to audibly insinuate himself into the musical equation during the lighter melodic segues. It should also be noted that the group's affinity for including classical elements has been virtually erased, replaced by occasional forays into melodious instrumentation (or in the case of "Aperture", an entire acoustic ballad), yet there is more than enough musical experimentation on "Synergy" to keep this exclusion a rather minor disappointment. Vocally, Extol have honed in on Peter Espevoll's melodic range, as this album features the band's most prominent focus on powerful vocal hooks. While Espevoll still brings forth blood-curdling black metal growls, he has taken on a gritty hardcore delivery that bludgeons the listener with throaty shout/screams, and has also found the confidence to let loose with harmonious wails. This is admittedly hard to swallow at times, especially on the Lacuna Coil-esque chorus of "Paradigms", yet Extol incorporate this stylistic component so deftly that they rarely lose their metallic edge, and one can eventually notice just how this firmly enhances the album's impact.

The band's prevalent spirituality may deter listeners unaccustomed to the group, as Extol certainly have not scaled back their Christian message in the move to Century Media, yet to see past this is to recognize a band that has an astounding array of musical abilities and the comprehension to effectively use them in creating compelling metal songs. The focus on melody should come as little shock to those who have followed the band, as Espevoll has always incorporated clean singing into the group's metallic delivery; But it is only here that he has sounded so confident in this more expressive style. Blackened death metal purists may be disappointed by the group's latest evolution, but it should be said that Extol have challenged themselves greatly with this recording, making "Synergy" their most complex work to date, yet also their most accessible.