Parius have always been a melodic death metal band with grand hopes for the future. Their last EP, Let Their Be Light, featured appearances from now-infamous The Faceless guitarist Michael Keene and ex-The Black Dahlia Murder guitarist Ryan Knight, plus clean singing, orchestral moments, nods to horror and more. The Eldritch Realm, their brand new album out this Friday, is another ambitious piece of work, one that is indicative of a band finding their unique sound.

That’s not to say Parius reinvent the wheel—there’s clear influence from The Black Dahlia Murder and progressive death metal (the album ends with “Crashing Black Moon,” an 8-minute song)—but they make their own sound. Acoustic guitars, a welcoming atmosphere, strong clean vocals, a handful of spoken word parts and even a few minor psychedelic touches go a long way toward making Parius stand out.

“Although technically our third release, we feel that The Eldritch Realm shows us truly finding our voice as a band,” Parius explain. “The writing process felt much more honest and collaborative than on previous releases, and we allowed ourselves to put more personality into these songs than ever before. We all focused on our respective instruments to be able to give The Eldritch Realm the performances it deserved, and we hope that we created a unique record that people looking for something a little bit different can enjoy.”