Mist of Misery: Unalterable (Album review)

Mist of Misery - Unalterable

Release date: 12/4/2019

Label: Black Lion Records

By: Xenia Kromann

The Swedish black metal band Mist of Misery is out with yet another release, but this is not like anything else they have done before and that is what stands out. The almost two our in length new album marks a new era for the band since the departure of Phlegathon who left the band to focus on his other band Hyperion. The album was composed and recorded during 2017 and 2018 where the title track was originally written in 2014. The band states that this album is different from the previous one in term of production and composition.

Due to this long album, a long review comes along. The possibility to make the review shorter was just not there since the album deserves to be complimented and expanded by every track and every nook of it.

‘A Window Into Nothingness’ is an intro opening the album in a very decent and Mist of Misery spirited way. The sound of a woman's voice that is humming with her opera voice-ish sound goes all the way through it, which compliments it well. Jumping directly into the second track ‘Halls Of Emptiness’ that has been out for some time now the track is created with a slow but simple deep guitar tone that develops itself and as a adheres comes to a male voice that tells us what sounds like the beginning of a story. Then the screaming and classic signature vocals come along and give a whole other vibe to the track with full on sadness. The over ten minutes long track is met by a small break that contains a small violin play, but not for long since the long howls with at death of sadness of a vocal is taking over with the drums that together gives that epic blasting feeling the band has used before. As an ending, we are gathered by the violin that is coming together with the rest of the instruments and fades into a closing part where a piano part if ending it. The track is well complemented by the violin that is defining it.

‘Heir To Misfortune’ is also a well listen to track since the listeners had a chance to hear it before its release as well. The song opens in a symphonic way, here is the feeling of walking somewhere on a misty road in the mental picture and along breaks, a much different vocal forward compared to what we are so used to hear, but experimental. Greeted by a break where the storytelling male is coming back while the track is outbreaking itself into this deeply instrumental part that is supported by clear synth. The rest of the instruments get very intense and high toned which gives the track a heavy feeling and makes it depressed and emotive in how it comes off. Four minutes inside, the beat turns to be fast and gives it the sound they have on other releases, the sound that Mist of Misery's fans lives for. ‘A Forest Of Disenchantments’ has the same female choir opera-ish voice from the intro, and it opens with a royal tone to it, while it is supported by a symphonic synth. The instruments start out slowly while the female vocals and the synth that now goes over in a more church and alter sound in the background. The guitars turn melodic and way faster while stopping suddenly and we are back to how it started to fade it all away. ‘Red Snow’ is one of two songs that is a cover track on the album. This one is a ColdWorld cover and like in the past they have done some insane covers that are most of the time even better than the originals. This is one of those times when they just hit it right and made it sound so much like their own, the cover is perfect for this record with the misty sound and everything. ‘Desolation’ is a slow starting track where the guitars are played string by string which gives us a direction for the song. Then a galloping piece where the instruments are experiments but in the end gives an off piece of music from their side. After that one would hope for the vocals to spice it up but it does nothing for the track and could have been better on its own. Some extreme fastened riffs are thrown to the table that again gives it nothing but a flat sound for the listeners. The drums are the only good thing about this track and they are definitely wasted. Like in previous songs there is a break coming up here as well that is built up by a very depressive synth sound while a male is telling his story once again. Everything is turning back to how it started out and a piano turns up and makes it even more confusing, that sadly makes the listener wanna turn to the next song. In the end, it is melodic in a Fleshgod Apocalypse way and that does not suit the band and this album.

‘Bleak Autumn Pt Tii’ continues in the same as the previous song ended with a quiet solo guitar play that lasts over one minute. A male teller comes forward while every instrument is acting in the background with the guitar that is marking its ways. The long-awaited vocal occurs and makes the track something bigger and much more monumental. It all crumbles and a choir together with synth comes along. The through-going guitar defines the entire track and that is what everything else is built around. Then the drums go on a spree and together with the vocals, the deepest string comes and gives that endless sound there is no other band to hit. However, the style of the song is different from what the others have shown us so far. ‘A Hollow Promise’ commences with a piano play that is backed up by a synth that goes off sorrowful. A melodic guitar suddenly emerges and plays the same notes but powerfully. Instantaneously, the vocals and the rest of the instruments builds up to become one with the powerful guitar which forms a catchy melody that is hard to keep your head away from head-banging to. The drums blast off and the synth takes a solo part as a male voice brief of what sounds like coming from an old movie. It then goes into a gentler tone where synth is in focus and we are back to the catchy piece just subdued a lot. ‘Embracing Ruin’ opens by a well-lit guitar sound that repeats itself for one minute where a well listenable synth comes along. The drums build up around it slowly and go on a full blast mode, but give it a dull sound. While vocals are very subdued and do not give the energetic feeling it has given before. A break stops everything quickly and changed the tones suddenly which seems confusing. It changes a lot between fast and the quiet pieces of tempos which makes too much of incertitude to the track so it becomes too much for the listeners cause one never get properly grasped by the different elements. ‘Stormblåst’ is the second cover on the album and this is one by Dimmu Borgir which they again do much better than the original because they make it sound like one of their songs and it does much more when they play it. It fits perfectly onto the album with its symphonic sounds and the vocals that just make it amazing.

Mist Of Misery

‘The Dying Light’ comes with a marked guitar sound, that opens while sounding pretty fond of its tones, and there is a Lifelover-ish vibe to it from the start. Keyboards are played along with the guitar and make it sound even fonder in the two minutes it goes on which is long and makes it sounds quite tedious in length. Then the drums tag along and together it gives a background that is satiated and fullness. The drums go up to speed and in the distance, you can hear something reminiscent of a very indistinct scream that completes the piece. The Synths provide a kind of church-ish sound in the background then it all subdues in the same tune and it just does not sound like something surprising. It is far too long for a nearly seven-minute track to listen to so it makes it an intrinsic number. ‘Within Dark Dreams’ is the twelfth track on the album and again we are gathered by a piano start that goes on for a while. Dominant guitar tags along on the piano and sounds like the same intro that is on ‘A Hollow Promise’. Vocal then breaks into absolute solitude and gives a huge start to the number. It busts out grandly and everything breaks out at once, but it is nothing new from their side. If you hear the album for a long time, it can quickly become colorless because of its constant repentance. A quiet piano piece and a male narrator's voice that has not been there for some time now gaps into a very marked black metal guitar sound that dresses the track well. The vocals come back and the screams simply take all the breath out of one, because it pierces the soul. All of a sudden, it is changing its pace and become legendary symphonic along with the synth that makes you feel all sorts of things. Some of the guitar pieces are too long and can make the track seem repetitive if you hear the entire album at once. ‘Unalterable’ is the album titled track. Starting with a very marked church and altar sound that is something that I have waited for to come throughout the entire album so far. It is finally here but then it gets a little destroyed by the drums that come along. The pace is slow, which sounds a bit strange but the vocals are everything which makes it very gloomy like their signature sound. The synths are full on together with the drums and it gives a fresh breath to the album. A quiet guitar takes hold and develops slowly into a completely perfect well-written riff, while the vocals return. The drums blast off and it sounds grant, it is a lot more peaceful and open for the listeners. A completely well-written track that gives all the other tracks a huge kick in the ass. ‘Eternal Bereavment - Outro’ which maybe should have been ‘Bereavement’?. Again, the piano is at focus in the beginning and it seems like an end to the intro, that seems perfect to end the album with. The piano sound has gone throughout the entire album so it can also be a bit tiring here at the end. However, the track before takes all the focus in mind but it is good with some subdued and downtempo melodies.

“Unalterable” is not the greatest we have seen from them, and if we look at how they wanted to go in another direction this time I think there are only minimal changes overall compared to how they used to sound. I will not exclude that the process has been different cause I do not know that but I could imagine it. The vocals on the album are still the same and that is what scared me the most if that was something they would have changed since it has a big role in their music. The male voice that is telling a story throughout the entire album is definitely something new and that was not always what was great in the different tracks. The song titles fit perfectly with what each song was about and formed a good view of each of them. Their sound is without a doubt still on the entire album which makes fans like myself their new album completely listenable. But something it bothered me with how almost every song started and ended in the same way, cause it made it appear monotonous bad.

We give this album

Out of 6

Favorite track: Unalterable
Tracklist:

1. A Window Into Nothingness
2. Halls Of Emptiness
3. Heir To Misfortune
4. A Forest Of Disenchantments
5. Red Snow (ColdWorld cover)
6. Desolation
7. Bleak Autumn 
8. A Hollow Promise 
9. Embracing Ruin
10. Stromblåst (Dimmu Borgir cover)
11. The Dying Light
12. Withing Dark Dreams
13. Unalterable
14. Eternal Bereavment (Outro)

Artwork by Alice Ruitenberg


Mist of Misery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MistofMisery/ 
Black Lion Records Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blacklionrecordsswe/