As the Sky Darkens spent the last year-plus hunkered down in the studio, writing and recording Freedom, its latest full-length. Although the album incorporates every element of metalcore — crunching breakdowns, hellish growls, intricate guitar work and clean vocals — followers of heavier genres should not be discouraged. As the Sky Darkens doesn't use its metalcore background as a crutch; this time around, fans can expect influences from bands like For Today or Mychildren Mybride. Unlike those groups, though, As the Sky Darkens has no Christian themes in its music. In fact, Freedom is based on humanistic concepts like breaking free, choosing one's own direction in life and defining happiness for oneself.