This album was released a couple of years ago, or perhaps a bit delayed recently… Though as you might have read the review of the Texan Death Metallers SEVERANCE’s spanking new record "The Truth In Question" recently on these pages, this compilation of a couple of unreleased tracks, a demo and a couple of EPs, is an easy way for the label to get some more noise and publicity on the band and their new release, and nothing wrong in that, as we speak of some good to decent Death Metal ahead of its time. SEVERANCE is a stable in heavy Death Metal with an almost doomy and crushing atmopshere, spiced up with technical and, at times, breath taking rhythm patterns and shredding guitars, in the classical Heavy Metal and shred style, than Death Metal like. On top, or well, rather below that we have a grim guttural growl that rips and tears all sanity apart, together with the pushing music, that is impossible to ignore, due to the shifts and progression. The material on the album is quite old spanning from 1991 to 1996, though in no ways outdated, quite impressive to hear and witness how the band was ahead of its time back then, and how they have kept a red line throughout the years. If one already isn’t into SEVERANCE the album to start out with should be "Suffering In Humanity" and then this before hitting it into the new ripper "The Truth In Question". "Progression Towards Purgatory" offers out of print material and a good view in a band’s progression from the early straight on Death Metal days to a more nuanced sound and expression, a great display of a band on their journey to find it self and its sound. And when listening to the last couple of albums, the material on this compilation makes a lot of sense, evolutionary (to me their 1996 MCD "Salvation Denied" still contains some of the strongest tracks the band has ever written and recorded! – Frank). For all further info, make sure to check out www.sevared.com, www.severancemetal.com, www.myspace.com/burningdogmarecords