Three years after the debut album “Sanctus Ignis”, Adagio are back with another great album. The new direction of the band is dark and orchestral. Although influences from extreme metal are obvious, I would characterise the album as atmospheric progressive metal. The diversity within the tracks is enormous and the different pieces of music are very well arranged. This diversity in the music is united by beautiful vocal melodies. A fine example is opener “Next Profundis”. The orchestral compositions on “Underworld” are heavily influenced by film music composer John Williams.

These influences are most obvious in the tracks “Introitus”, which flows into the heavy “Solvet Saeclum in Favilla”, and the thirteen minute title track. The orchestral parts could have been directly taken from an opera. A heavy metal rock opera that is. Listen to the flowing piano parts and the powerful guitar play of writer Stephan Forté and you will be sold. Underworld is a very tight album. The music is well produced and has a warm and full sound. It is without a doubt one of the better releases of this year.