Daylight Dies' fourth album, A Frail Becoming, is neither the veteran band's best nor their worst. It is, simply, a testament to their ability to confidently execute within an idiom to which they are well attuned. Its Fascination Street Studios production is a comfortable fit for the players, who continue their progression from Discouraged Ones-era Katatonia acolytes into darker and more progressive reaches. To this reviewer, the highlight of A Frail Becoming is found on "Sunset," which recalls the commitment to melodic lead guitar play found on 2006's minor classic Dismantling Devotion, while also displaying a recently developed knack for vocal harmonization.

While performances are impeccable throughout, A Frail Becoming stumbles through a middle section comprising back to back ballads "A Final Vestige" and "Ghosting," two tracks that may appeal to more patient ears but are likely to leave many listeners sadly short of catharsis. Perhaps a touch too late, "Hold On to Nothing" reignites the lost flame with virtuosic lead guitar interplay (also a new development for the band).

While less expressive and consistently engaging than Dismantling Devotion, Daylight Dies remain mostly on course, while judiciously testing the borders of their sound. For those who fully enjoy the doom/death genre, the band's ability to expand while remaining faithful to the style's tenets will be welcomed. For the general fan, though, Daylight Dies' modest development may not offer enough to countervail A Frail Becoming's monochrome palette and uneven pacing.