Make it or break it, the all important third album is for many bands the one that either make people take notice or make them forget all about a band. If that is the case for Communic then the signs are very good, and if people hadn't taken notice before then I am sure they will now, because 'Payment of Existence' is a very strong album.

But so were their first two albums, and they can't quite keep the pace with this one. I do think they have become a bit predictable and repetitive on this album. They have kept all the well-known trademarks, and have managed to distance them even further from the Nevermore sound, which many felt was their biggest weakness on the first two albums. They have carved their own sound out, never leaving the path chosen early on.

They do still sound very intense and powerful and all the songs are delivered with the same high energy, aggressiveness and intensity as before, and everything has been wrapped in a crystal clear and perfectly balanced production done by Jacob Hansen once more, he really knows how to get the best out of these guys.

'Payment of Existence' is a very, very good album - just not quite up to par with their previous ones. I do miss the wow-effect, which the others had. But this is just me nit-picking, because this is still one Hell of an album!