Release date: 24/5/2019
Label: Norma Evangelium Diaboli
By: J. C. Lerche
Misþyrming is a band that belongs in the crème de la crème of Icelandic Black metal. Their debut "Söngvar elds og óreiðu" is one of the most clear-cut examples of modern black metal, and all accomplished by mastermind D.G. and drummer H.R.H.
Having since acquired a full line-up of instrumentalists, they moved on to do a short split with fellow Icelandics Sinmara, and are now back to unleash their sophomore album "Algleymi" (Eng: "Oblivion") upon the world.
First of all, you are greeted with a wall of sound with "Orgia". Compared to their first album, all instruments has been moved up in the mix.
The drums stand out as the prime recipient of attention, but all instruments are clear and audible. The vocals are way more in front compared to the faint screaming that took place on their first album, and the vocals has taken on a whole new dimension of itself compared to earlier with the bellowing screams D.G. now provides.
Also, this album has seen the addition of some faint synth. Synth can be utilized in all manners from subtle to garish, and Misþyrming thankfully chose the subtle route to underline the more epic passages of songs, as well as a few ambient bridges between some of the songs, which provide a few seconds of relief from the onslaught.
Misþyrming
The musicianship is stellar, with guitars making frequent uses of melodies and the drums delivering a merciless pounding. One observation I'm able to make of the songs is that the soundscape is a mix of their first material and a newer direction. For the purists of the first record there is songs like the second track,"Með Svipur á Lofti" and "Allt Sem Eitt Sinn Blómstraði" which stays true to their original recipe from "Söngvar elds og óreiðu". Their newer direction is a bit harder to nail down; There is songs like the excellently simple "Ísland, Steingelda Krummaskuð" which mixes Uada and Primoridal-influences to create a epic melodic soundscape. Later, "Og er Haustið Líður Undir Lok" shows some clear shoegaze-influence (Think Drudkh from their "Handful of Stars"-period) and the title-song "Algleymi" begins with a riff I could swear I've heard from Fen, although the song in itself is an epic closure to the album.
Which brings me to my next point: The journey through the album is diverse in influences, a bit too diverse if I'm going to be honest with you and myself, to the extent that I'm being brought out of my entrancement. This is most clear around the middle of the album, going from the first two hard-hitting songs to the straight-forward and melodic "Ísland, steingelda krummaskuð" over to the short instrumental "Hælið" and then onwards to the softer, almost lighthearted, "Og er haustið líður undir lok", which again takes ample inspiration from Shoegaze.
This journey is a weird impression to receive. I think it would be more wise to go for a consistent approach, whereas this feels like a compass spinning in different directions from song to song... I don't feel much connection in between them when listening the album from A to Z.
This journey is a weird impression to receive. I think it would be more wise to go for a consistent approach, whereas this feels like a compass spinning in different directions from song to song... I don't feel much connection in between them when listening the album from A to Z.
This is one of those times I'm genuinely confused as what to make of an album. On one hand I feel that the journey through the album is disjointed and confused... And that's when I thought "Could this be on purpose?" Because on the other hand the songs themselves are actually rather good, some are indeed excellent. Maybe the album as a whole is intended to give off a vibe of confusion and mood-swings, or maybe that's just me getting that impression.
In the end, I chose to interpret it at face value, and let my musings remain. I concluded that his is an album with coherence-issues, and as such you are treated to some varied spectacles, but some of those spectacles in themselves are, well, spectacular. But I'd still chose their first album over this one.
We give this album
Out of 6
Favorite tracks: "Með svipur á lofti", "Ísland, steingelda krummaskuð", "Algleymi"
Tracklist:
1. Orgia
2. Með svipur á lofti
3. Ísland, steingelda krummaskuð
4. Hælið
5. Og er haustið líður undir lok
6. Allt sem eitt sinn blómstraði
7. Alsæla
8. Algleymi
Links for Misþyrming
Bandcamp
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