It doesn't require an intuitive ear to dissect and pull apart the fantastic entrails of "Vessel." Trial balances on a thin line between relentless aggression and the presence of something enigmatic brewing up a foreboding sense of dread and maliciousness. It's most applicable to compare Trial to Portrait and In Solitude, both of whom found their niches on the bodies of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. Trial feels like the next step in this movement, as the Mercyful Fate/King Diamond traits of the aforementioned bands do not reach out and touch the listener as they do on any proper Portrait or In Solitude release. The band's riffing patterns and compositional structures almost take on hues of other metal subgenres through complex arrangements and structures alongside the themes through which the album shines.

Trial is simply flawless in its pacing and carefulness. Slower songs like the title track and "Ecstasy Waltz" are subtle enough to convey tremendous depth while exploring creepy guitar notations and off-kilter rhythms without nullifying the group's vital intensity. The enamoring structuring of these tracks is significant; there are no issues found in songs running up to seven, eight, thirteen minutes. "Through Bewilderment," knocking on the door of nine minutes, is a spellbinding onslaught of relentless power and phenomenal guitar acrobatics pressed seamlessly into robust, up-tempo heavy metal riffing and unfiltered fury. The vocalist reminds me of Bruce Dickinson taking on an occult annotation, which helps to further transmit the many facets of "Vessel" into a complete, cohesive package.

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