Band:	Septicflesh
Album:	Titan
Style:	Symphonic death metal
Release date:	June 2014

01. War In Heaven
02. Burn
03. Order Of Dracul
04. Prototype
05. Dogma
06. Prometheus
07. Titan
08. Confessions Of A Serial Killer
09. Ground Zero
10. The First Immortal
11. Dogma Of Prometheus [orchestral version] [deluxe edition bonus]
12. A Prototype In Heaven [orchestral version] [deluxe edition bonus]
13. The First Immortal [orchestral version] [deluxe edition bonus]
14. Order Of A Serial Killer [orchestral version] [deluxe edition bonus]
15. The Burning [orchestral version] [deluxe edition bonus]

[Live In Toulouse - collector's edition bonus CD]
01. The Vampire From Nazareth
02. We, The Gods
03. Pyramid God
04. A Great Mass Of Death
05. Anubis
06. Persepolis
07. Five-Pointed Star

Ever had a burger so good it ruined every other burger for you? I have. In fact, I'm a goddam burger connoisseur. Those who have had the pleasure of eating at Kuma's in Chicago or watch How I Met Your Mother know what I am talking about. Well, for many, The Great Mass was that burger. It was just so juicy and flavorful in its mastery of death/goth fusion and amazing symphonics. Three years have passed now, with the fond memories of that burger only growing every day. So it came as little surprise when Septicflesh's latest meaty outing garnered mixed reviews.

In essence, all of the ingredients are still here: incredible orchestrations, pummeling drums, haunting choirs, punishing death growls, and simple guitar hooks. In fact, I argue that this burger is every bit as delicious as its predecessor. The main problem likely lies in a lack of notable progression. I can still walk into a Red Robin and enjoy a meal, but I have to somewhat leave my expectations at the door. The same can be said of this album. My first bite left me somewhat disappointed, but subsequent ones led me to appreciate it more and more for the atmospheric masterpiece that it is.

Take the warring good and evil of "Prometheus" with its absolutely stunning final minutes, the gothic vibe of "Burn," or the crushing drums and vocals of the title track: there is no lack of garnish here. In fact, I find myself enjoying every track pretty equally. If there is one thing that Septicflesh have stepped up with this release, it's the incredibly dense and complex level of classical orchestration. You will be hard pressed to find another release so rich in atmosphere, and in 2014 no one else in the genre could even hold a match to it.

In the end, the best advice I can give is to give this another taste, only this time considering what it means to the year and where its strengths lie. You may still decide that this burger just isn't for you, but we can at least agree that it makes plenty of others look like McDonald's drive-through in comparison. Bring ketchup.

Enjoyability=10
Musicianship=9
Innovation=7