MITHRAS
"Worlds
Beyond the Veil" (Candlelight USA / Transcendence Limited; 2004)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
Highly praised by the press as one of most important death metal bands in recent memory, Mithras play a style of brutal death metal very reminiscent of Morbid Angel. In fact, one could easily file Mithras' "Worlds Beyond The Veil" as a more spaced-out Morbid Angel and that wouldn't be too far off the mark. Mithras also borrow heavily from the Nile school of technical playing that should drops jaws during the band's heavy parts; Mithras draws equally as well from the atmospheric style incorporated by Nile into their music (although with a more astral sound and decidedly non-Egyptian style).
"Worlds Beyond The Veil" has a very high-level concept that is expertly conveyed through the music and lyrics. Consequently it is not something to be taken lightly – it can only be enjoyed as a whole, not in bits and pieces. I know this to be true because the first four or five time I tried to get my way through "Worlds Beyond The Veil" I was always distracted by something or another; and my impression of the disc was a rather hollow feeling. So I put it away until I knew I would have the time to listen to it uninterrupted and was well rewarded. "Worlds Beyond The Veil" runs nearly 68-minutes long and actually seems much longer than that, but in a very good way.
Mithras' "Worlds Beyond The Veil" will not be something that I play often, but it will be something that will serve as the perfect complement to those times that I want to hear Morbid Angel, Nile, Immolation, and Cryptopsy for my extreme metal listening pleasures.
"Worlds Beyond The Veil" was produced by Mithras.
Mithras is Rayner Coss on vocals and bass, and Leon Macey on guitars and drums.
For more information visit http://www.mithras.org.uk.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 11 Nov 2024 12:14:35 -0500.
