I am talking here about one of the most impressive new releases I have heard in quite a while. I can not find enough good things to say about it! They were not only able to maintain the formula that they used to create Headquake, but they even managed to expand upon it, somehow capturing the raw, energetic vibe of their first one, 'seeds of Rage' and combining it with the polish and chunk of 'Headquake'. The overall effect is one of the Hardest, crunchiest, cleanest, best-structured CD's that these ears have beheld in many months! Of special note are the advances made by keyboardist Oleg Smirnoff on this release. He has somehow found a way to more cleanly integrate his sound into a supporting role, with the effect of lending more cohesion and flow to each song, while at the same time, stepping more towards the front with his leads. He seems to use more of a 'Lead guitar' type of structure in his leads, and the effect is very driving and aggressive. While I am on the subject of leads, let's talk about Eugene Simone, the guitarist. He showed awesome potential on the first two eldritch releases, but never really seemed to achieve what he was reaching for (with one or two exceptions--check out the tune 'dawn of the dying' off of HQ!! That lead fits perfectly!). Well, this time around, he seems to have found it! His leads have become much more intricate, and sophisticated, without losing the hard edge that fits this band so well. Also much more in evidence are crunchy staccato rhythms, that go a long way towards recapturing the feeling of sheer hardness heard on SoR. The double bass work from drummer Martin Khyn is also much more prominent on this one, and of course, lest I forget, the INCOMPARABLE Terrence Holler (This guy's last name fits him perfectly, because he doesn't just sing, he HOLLERS, staying perfectly within the melody while doing so!); this guy has, far and away, one of the most unique voices in Progressive Metal! He doesn't sound like anyone else at all, choosing instead his own style, which again fits the band perfectly. Special highlights of this CD are: 'From dusk till dawn', 'last days of the year', 'no direction home', and the title track 'El Nino'. This album gets a SOLID 9.7 out of 10 from me. HIGHLY recommended for anyone who liked Headquake even a little--they have progressed beyond it with this release!