However, "Citadel" almost feels as if Ne Obliviscaris cut down on the costs a bit. Half of the six tracks are serene instrumentals serving as introductions and conclusions to the remaining three songs. They are nice, tranquil bits that provide as satisfying an experience as brief instrumentals will allow, but these intervals are not relevant sources of quality compared to the trio of juggernauts running up all but a slither of the album's running time. The monstrous "Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux" runs for over sixteen minutes, while "Pyrrhic" and the first part of "Devour Me, Colossus" ring up ten and twelve minutes, respectively. They are musical titans, encapsulating dozens of influences and styles that somehow interlock smoothly, giving a brief foretaste of the huge entity that is Ne Obliviscaris.

These songs are impressively intangible. Xenoyr's growls, more guttural here than on "Portal of I," and blast beats escort the abstract-bent black/death metal riffing, showing hues of guitar and bass work not foreign to certain incarnations of Cynic or Atheist. Again, the violin sections and solos are dramatically linked to the enlightened carnage in a way that should not work but does so charmingly, kind of like having a peanut butter and bacon sandwich (try it and see what I mean). Tim Charles has a soothing voice to either counter or match his surroundings, though his parts fit the whole picture with ease. Ne Obliviscaris has universes of creative avenues to work with; there are never dull moments in their constellation.