New Jersey’s black metal inspired Misanthropic Rituals return with their second full-length album with a new lineup and vocal approach.
Following on from 2017’s Human Dirt the band has restructured now only consisting of multi-instrumentalist and founding member Bones and vocalist Ymire. This release is the band’s first with only one vocalist throughout.
Opener “The Violation of Paradise” is slow and brooding throughout with great guitar and drum elements whereas “Dweller In Nocturnes”‘s piano structures really are the song’s centrepiece.
“Beset With Shroud of Pitch”, is a turning point on the album for me as I love the chamber-esque elements throughout combined with choral and raw vocals that make this my highlight track.
“At The Gyre of Holocaust” is followed by the solely instrumental “An Absent Place” which felt like it would have been a good closer to the album. Final track proper, “The Mountain My Cairn”, is hands down the most traditional black metal sounding of the album, particularly the drum pattern was really enjoyable.
The album is at times cold and bleak, but its level of diversity is the biggest selling point.
A Path Through Absent Places will be released May 25th
