ALBUM REVIEW: Funeral Mist – Deiform

Swedish Black Metal entity FUNERAL MIST have a new album to be unleashed without much warning, on December 17th via Norma Evangelium Diaboli.

Feedback and stormy samples alongside chants open the album with a haunting atmosphere that naturally suits Funeral Mist perfectly. Pounding drums and richly textured guitars come into life while still the trailing spectres of the chants emanate more ritualistic sounds upon the blackened instruments. The beating rhythm is certainly intense with the grimy guitars are used in a more doomy fashion that suits the fierce vocals and their zealous and spiteful delivery. This definitely falls into the more funereal side of the artistry Funeral Mist showcase before plentiful sections of bombastically blasting drums and utterly savage guitars utilise that primal sense of urgency that is paramount in this music to conveying a true sense of encircling blackness. Now we have reached pandemonium as the vision religiously fuelled extremity opens a transcendental passageway of haunting but utterly devastating musical intensity. In these opening moments of respiteletss, gaunt and yet mesmerising Black Metal it is understandable to fans of old and newcomers alike why Funeral Mist is one of the most essential current entities performing this music with integrity and disciplined vitriol.

Ballistic sections of dissonant, unhinged sound take us on a journey that breaks open the meditative moments without warning to unleash a sense of orthodox chaos that breaks the shackles of repetition in a unique sense that is definitely something to marvel upon. The mix of traditional elements with one-of-a-kind musicianship that breaks any conceivable mold while honouring their sonic ancestors, is beautiful. With a sonorous production that resonates down to the bone as blistering, scathing twists and turns into a sepulchral atmosphere shall certainly surprise and shock with contemptuous delivery, Arioch is evidently a master songwriter, whom never seems to lack direction without following a transparent path, nevertheless has a patent vision and sound. A certain warmth in the low end of the music gives it an embracing sort of feeling while the sheer fanatic approach to the entire work of art renders it ultimately volatile and uncompromising in every sense of the word. The clear diversity yet transitional integrity between songs to form a wonderful tapestry of rich sounds, aesthetics and rites should speak for themselves.

The length of this album, at nearly an hour is perfect. The reasoning for this, is it will frighten away any potential surface listeners or simply be too expansive for a dull mind, while not going overboard and allowing the sharp delivery to be lost either. Across the running time of this recording we see waves of resplendent ambience crash upon rocks of violent bitterness and scolding aggression meet on the shores of introspective and spiritual emboldenment. There is no link missing, nor is there any conceivable path that is laid out too plainly. In simpler terms, one can take many things from this album (differing from listen to listen even), therein its true value lies in its sheer bottomless, unshaped, infinity that has contorted in a truly liberated fashion from masterful songwriting skills. Never afraid to throw in some wickedly catchy groove amidst sombre chilling sections or erupt into volcanic, punishing hellfire, there is no predictability or constraint on this projects creative mind. Somehow this record can feel like a familiar classic and also yield new things on subsequent plays that make it feel like an old house with hidden rooms laying undiscovered. Once more, we can be taken to many places upon the wings of a magnificent beast.

There is no comparing Funeral Mist to other artists of even their own works. This is a mighty, destructive and yet complex beast of Black Metal might. An experience that must be had by those seeking darkness and yet enlightening music of true value. No pretence or failure, a bold statement of intent that has never weakened from the beginning, the next step for Funeral Mist is indeed one of their finest hours. Pure sulphuric majesty.