All great progressive metal needs time to open up and blossom and to get into the core of this, the second self released EP from Swedish band Lava Engine, you need to sit down and listen carefully in order to feel and take in the soundscapes and sounds of theirs.

What at first appears to be just another spin off of bands like Porcupine Tree, Opeth and Pain of Salvation slowly opens up and becomes a strong contender to the aforementioned bands. Lava Engine has the flair for a soothing rhythm, many layers of sounds and a general good feel for a strong melodyline. Their sound is dark and depressing and they do have a darker and more aggressive aspect to their sound as well. The singing style of vocalist and guitarist Magnus Florin reflects the moods of the songs very well, expect in the more aggressive parts, which really isn't his strong suit - maybe it would a good idea to hire a real growler to handle these parts?

"In Limbo", presented by one the strongest unsigned progressive metal band I've heard this year, displays a band with a clear direction, a band that need to clear up a few hick-ups before they are ready to fly. But this is clearly a step in the right direction, and I do hope some innovative executive would stop up and take notice, because they need to be brought to the attention of progressive metal community, and hopefully fairly soon...