Divine Realm began as a one-man brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Leo Diensthuber in 2010. The first release, Mor[t]ality, was the work of this lone Canadian. But soon after, Divine Realm developed into a full band. This resulted in a reportedly well received EP in 2014 called Abyssal Light. Now in 2016 the band is ready to release their first full-length, Tectum Argenti. The album apparently draws influence from groups like Pomegranate Tiger, Between The Buried And Me, The Human Abstract, and Animals As Leaders.

I'm not super familiar with those groups, but I can definitely hear the BTBAM comparison. Mind you it's an influence and not a 1:1 shared sound. Really, the first thing that came to mind for me was my rave review of Mendel's latest album. Tectum Argenti is similarly filled to the brim with progtastic transitions, djenty hooks, and highly technical shredding. And once again, despite the lack of vocals, the incredible amount of care in the musicianship does more than enough of the talking. Each track is an emotive journey from the fist-pumping victory chant to the melancholy retrospective.

So much so, in fact, that it is difficult for me to pinpoint any singular track. They all serve pretty equal when it comes to teasing the overall sound and approach. But to grab just a few, "Tritos" is a killer opener that grabbed my ear quickly and encouraged me to give the rest of the album a spin. Then there are the strengths of "Glass Empire" and the title track. Gorgeous layering of guitars and utilization of electronic elements here that keep my head bobbing and my inner music nerd drooling. One might even draw a few comparisons to early Born of Osiris, albeit slightly more melodic in nature. Finally, there's "Cloak and Dagger" which features a surprising little interlude that may catch one a bit off guard.

If you are at all a fan of heavy progressive music, instrumental, or just awesome musicianship; go ahead and add this to your collection. It's a small investment in both time and cash, and you'll get plenty mileage out of it. Divine Realm more or less became my repeat work playlist over a week or so, keeping me motivated. You can stream the whole thing below as it releases today.