Mist of Misery are a band that I again struggle to find words for, an interesting band that combine symphonic metal with depressive suicidal black metal (DBSM). Absence is the band’s second album and has a focus on more of the musical elements involved such as the orchestra and the symphonic sound to create a range of emotions and atmospheres.
This is especially notable on the opening track “Melancholic Thoughts”, an instrumental that creates a range of emotions. This is done through the use of sound effects such as thunderstorms which capture the emotional side flawlessly. Sound effects are also used on the track “Final Departure” where a crow can be heard with rain sound effects used to provide an almost raw emotion for the listener.
The album itself is very diverse, creating a range of atmospheres – some depressive and deeply moving through to a lighter sound. The second track, Euthanasia, uses the symphonic sounds and orchestra to create a darker and more depressive atmosphere. Yet the track combines thunderous drums, heavy guitars and raw vocals that turn the calm beauty of the instrumentals into a raw and heavy piece, and still manages to capture the lucid and moving instrumentals within the tracks.
I have never listened to an album before like Absence where I am transported into another world, where the music in of the instrumentals paints pictures in my mind. Even with the black metal elements throughout, the album is able to provide me with such emotion and in a way I find it difficult to explain. The power and energy behind each track speaks for themselves and almost puts the listener into a trance. Even with the addition of sound effects such as on “Paragon of Perdition” where it sounds as if someone is walking in to play on an organ in the most beautiful and melodic way, then walks away with church bells ringing in the background.
What more can I say about this album? I still struggle for words, I have never listened to anything so unique and so emotional; which delivers this emotion purely on the instruments of symphonic and orchestra alike. A masterpiece in of how it is written and in of how the album is like two different genres coming together as one in a beautiful and majestic piece of art.
Mist of Misery: facebook | soundcloud | bandcamp | youtube
