Featuring Carl Auge from HIS HERO IS GONE on bass and vocals, Bay Area outfit DIMLAIA surface with this debut full length album that starts off in an air-raid, apocalyptic crustcore vein, but quickly moves into a sort of grim,baroque post-metal that makes us think of Neurosis and Tragedy meeting with Temporary Residence records style cinematic instrumentals, and an early-90's, AFGHAN WHIGS-ish brand of dark indie rock that really sets this apart from anything else happening right now at the intersection of crusty dirge metal and expansive instrumental rock. The real killer here is the 4th track, "Goodnight Sweet Ghost", which starts off with that instrumental slo-burn, but then sinks into a heart rending lament with sadly sweet singing from Kristen Deets (who reminds us a little of SCRAWL's Marcy Mays), wrapped around a haunting hook and building into a wash of heavy guitars and hopelessness and monstrous deathmetal vocals buried in the swirl, like a lost song from the AFGHAN WHIGS Gentleman run through heavy,crushing NEUROSIS amps. Beautiful! The rest of this self-titled album moves through similiar waters, with jangly instrumental buildups that release into tense, noisy dirges, equal parts Neurosis and Godspeed You! Black Emporer, beautiful and dark and dramatic, evoking twilight skylines and urban decay and rainy streets at dusk. Some songs have additional cello accompaniment by members of AMBER ASYLUM. Tremendous.