ɪt wʌz ðɛɹ fˈɜːst ˈælbəm wɪð vˈoʊkəlˌɪst ɹˈɑːn ɹˈaɪnhɑːɹt ænd bˈeɪsɪst mˈaɪk ɡənzˈɑːlɛz hˌuː dʒˈɔɪnd dʒˈʌst pɹˈaɪɚ tə ðə ɹᵻlˈiːs ʌv dˈɑːɹknəs dᵻsˈɛndz, ænd ðə lˈæst tə fˈiːtʃɚ ɡɪtˈɑːɹɹɪst dʒˈɪm dˈɜːkɪn.
It was their first album with vocalist Ron Rinehart and bassist Mike Gonzalez (who joined just prior to the release of Darkness Descends), and the last to feature guitarist Jim Durkin.