MYSTAGOS „Azoth”

BlackSeed Productions / Godz ov War Productions, 2019

Music: Avant-garde Black Metal

Website:

https://www.facebook.com/Mystagosofficial

https://blackseedprod.bandcamp.com/album/azoth

Duration: 37:50 minutes (7 tracks)

Country: Spain

Initially, it was a one-person project – CHAINS OV BELETH – created by Heolstor, who for over 10 years released several materials (including two albums). And then the project received a new name – MYSTAGOS, which also released two albums, including the one reviewed…

“Azoth” clearly refers to dark alchemy but not only… Heolstor approaches to creating of his black-metal hymns in very old-school way (at the same time in avant-garde way)… If there is alchemy then there must be sulfur’s riffs and explosive chemical reactions but also chemical experiments…

The demonic vocals fight with choral singing and predatory melorecitations, which in places can be associated with old ARCTURUS or BATUSHKA (no matter which one of them), especially when the appropriate melody is preserved (sometimes sacral, somewhat psychedelic or melancholic).

The quite archaic sound of distorted guitars additionally emphasizes this old-black-metal mood (from the early 90’s of the XXth century) oscillating somewhere between Scandinavian and North American Black Metal. In turn, sometimes the Jazz parts of the bass guitar, among others, additionally bring an avant-garde breeze, which sometimes mixes with the dark mystical-pagan atmosphere (mainly due to the background keys and specific singing). This alchemical mixture is heated by hellfire, bringing the whole to boil and dangerous explosions.

Despite this specific avant-garde approach to arrangement, it is still devilish Black Metal, full of basilisk vocals, massacre blasts and luciferic power, at the same time full of enigmatic-cabalistic atmosphere.

Tracklist:

1. Adam-Kadmon

2. Solve

3. Empire of Bones

4. Ritual

5. Shamdon

6. The Weight of a Burial Shroud

7. Wind of Death

Line-up:

Heolstor – insthrumenths & vocals

Rate: 8.0/10