ALBUM REVIEW: Misþyrming – Algleymi

Here I review the highly anticipated second album from Icelandic Black Metallers Misþyrming. Out on May 24th via Norma Evangelium Diaboli.

1. Orgia surges right into ferocious blastbeats and gorgeously dissonant, howling guitars, an immediately recognisable Icelandic concoction of pure darkness. Disturbing vocals are hastily spewed over the violent instrumental torment to create a cascading void of pure Black Metal darkness that is intellectually written to be jarring and harsh as hell. There is some penetrating synths added to the darkness that are beautifully buried in the morbid assaults of the band. Stunning atmospherics add life to the piece which progresses into some of the most pristine material yet from the band. A fantastic beginning.
2. Með svipur á lofti follows with more grooving and barbarically gruesome guitar riffs and intricate drum work, coated in macabre howls from the vocalist. The monolithically impactful soundscape of the band is produced in a way that allows everything to hit with total force in unison. The thunderous roar of the band is piercing and bleak with melancholy yet a fully disdainful approach that is unique and beautifully malignant. A beautifully varied song with grooves and melodies to spare. The Industrial influenced ending was intimidating and a crushing way to end the song. Utterly excellent.
3. Ísland, steingelda krummaskuð falls into place with furious grooving guitars and upbeat drums, punchy in nature, that grow in atmosphere to make a sombre and mournful approach that still retains its primal aggression. With force and grace, the vocals penetrate the walls of guitar, bass and drums that soar through darkness and solitude with total precision. The way the grooves progress is filled with life and energy that is unfathomably beautiful to witness and truly encapsulates all that Iceland has given us with their unique blend of extremities. Beautifully esoteric and fierce.
4. Hælið changes the mood drastically with discordant guitars ringing out over echoing drum hits, a dark and depraved emotive that is strong and grows into some tearfully beautiful guitar leads that are reminiscent of the bands countrymen Solstafir in their earlier days but taken into a much stranger dimension sonically that is mesmerising, hypnotic even, yet also bleak and upsetting. A gorgeous interval, really adding emotion and soul to the album.
5. Og er haustið líður undir lok blasts us back into gorgeously grooving guitars and impactful drums with a hastily built momentum that is menacing yet tranquil. The piercing qualities of the guitars, the mournfully howled vocals and the precise blasting drums all just feel so perfect and naturally brought together to create some of the most magically enticing Black Metal that the band have ever made. The simplicity of the songwriting with some progressive flares feel carefully designed rather than some pretentious showmanship, giving a richly rewarding sound and style that is recognisable instantly. Brilliant.
6. Allt sem eitt sinn blómstraði delves right into devilishly built in guitar insanity and relentless drumming, a ferocity that is unrivalled with its passionately grooving and cascading rhythms that are uniquely blended to violently throw total cosmic dissonance forth. There is so much energy in the vocals, as is the case with the instruments that truly screech with depravity in unison for a hypnotic experience that conjures forth all of the sonically demonic entities found in only the highest quality Black Metal music, possessing the ears with no remorse. There is also a catchiness to the grooves which is unexpected but a certainly appropriate track for headbangers. Astounding.
7. Alsæla is brought in with feeding back guitar before blistering lead riffs over solid rhythms and drums hit. Piercingly dense and harsh with a relentless energy and speed, this song is fierce but beautiful with melancholy and aggression both ever-present. The sparse sections build atmospherics using slowed drums and spaced out riffs before dropping right back into unrelenting fury at full tempo. Scolding with energy and aggression but balanced with some nice folky melodies, this song is unpredictable, volatile, diverse and totally glorious. There is certainly something for everyone who likes any sounds within the Icelandic Black Metal scene. Wonderfully done.
8. Algleymi is the finale to this grandiose adventure in extremity, starting off with more off-kilter and harsh drum work with ringing out guitar dissonance. The band certainly do not wish to make this an easy listen for those who do not already love the richly intricate and nuanced soundscapes they create. Taking things back for some stripped back atmospherics to build upon, this final song chimes into soaring and glacial soundscapes once more. Thunderous rhythms, pummelling drums and eerie lead work brings a wave of darkened, dense instrumentals forth that grow in darkness like shadows. The morbid howls of the vocalist soon tie things together before hitting us with impactful and violent grooves that allows the carefully woven song to grow in life and aggression, serpentining between sections of total savagery. Total Black Metal perfection.

This has to be some of the most mind-blowing and varied Black Metal to hit my ears of recent times. With blisteringly searing guitars, intricately blasting drums, menacingly howled vocals and a dense production style, there is a true energy within the dissonant screams of the full band that is remarkably enticing and mesmerising. A must listen for Black Metal fans who wish to truly experience a conjuring of the sonic black flames. -10/10