Their early demos received welcome attention from UK radio DJs such as Zane Lowe and Steve Lamacq.

The album has received widespread critical acclaim and positive reviews: Q Magazine - "...laudably sophisticated, laudably widescreen, Q Recommends - ****" Artrocker - "The album for armies to listen to before they go to war" NME - "unequivocal brilliance...best comeback of 2008 so far - 8/10" The Guardian - "an Orwellian opus that bucks prevailing trends.

One of Britain's most ambitious groups - ****" Clash magazine - "the kind of record they always threatened to make...a darkening canvas of the band's immense progression" Leeds Music Scene - "9/10" The Sun - "enthralling" Teletext - "a very English air of foreboding - 8/10" Whisperin & Hollerin - "outstanding in range, inventiveness and emotional strength - 9/10" Clickmusic - "dark, dramatic and sinister, but that brooding combination might just switch a light on in your head - ****" Sound Of Violence - "9/10" Vibrations - "it would be difficult to overstate quite how good this record is" Rocksound - "grimly fiendish" Subba-Cultcha - "something that will terrify us at first yet will fall in love with too - *****" New Noise.net - "a quite beautiful record.....dark and disarming" [2] In February 2009, ¡Forward Russia!

[4] Duels toured with Graham Coxon, opening the nights for the former Blur guitarist, The Rakes and across Europe with The Kooks and The Zutons.

They also played a one-off date with The Automatic, supporting Kaiser Chiefs in Leeds, and the SXSW Festival in Texas in 2006.