Do you remember Mysticum? They were a Norwegian black metal band that was part of the legendary Norwegian scene of the 90s, and gained a cult status after releasing their first full length In the Streams of Inferno in 1996 via Full Moon Production, which had bought out the contracts of Deathlike Silence Productions, by which Mysticum were signed. (Deathlike Silence is the label founded by Euronymous and his death marked the end of this label). But Mysticum were not born under a lucky star and the story was repeated: Full Moon Productions went bankrupt and Peaceville Records bought out some contracts of the dying American label, including Mysticum. This is one of the reasons why it took Mysticum eighteen years to release the follow-up to the first album. Mysticum made a name for themselves in the 90s for their unique industrial black metal style, which means a recognizable black metal riffing accompanied by a pounding drum machine.
The follow-up to the first album is Planet Satan, released in 2014; it might have less impact than the previous album, but the sound is still the same, it seems that so many years have never passed. The trademarks, now as in the 90s, are a raging and furious riffing with a pounding drum machine which increases the feeling of breathlessness. The whole is topped here and there by a wise use of synth as in “LSD” and “Far”; the latter also has the text in Norwegian. In “Fist of Satan” the pounding of the drum machine is really crazy and almost techno, while “All Must End” has a synth background all the time. The lyrics deal mostly with occultism and Satanism; the already mentioned “Far”, which means ‘Father’, is a prayer to Satan, a kind of a satanic Our Father.
Planet Satan is a hellish, apocalyptic and nihilistic album, a milestone of the genre for its sublime and chaotic ferocity. In a nutshell, an excellent album. If you still do not know Mysticum, now it's time to get acquainted with this historic Norwegian band!
Notes:
Release date: October 27 2014 on Peaceville Records.
Tracklist:
1. LSD
2. Annihilation
3. Far
4. The Ether
5. Fist of Satan
6. All Must End
7. Cosmic Gun
8. Dissolve into Impiety
Personnel:
Dr. Best: Bass, Drum programming
Svart Ravn: Vocals, Guitars
Herr General Cerastes: Vocals, Guitars
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com
The follow-up to the first album is Planet Satan, released in 2014; it might have less impact than the previous album, but the sound is still the same, it seems that so many years have never passed. The trademarks, now as in the 90s, are a raging and furious riffing with a pounding drum machine which increases the feeling of breathlessness. The whole is topped here and there by a wise use of synth as in “LSD” and “Far”; the latter also has the text in Norwegian. In “Fist of Satan” the pounding of the drum machine is really crazy and almost techno, while “All Must End” has a synth background all the time. The lyrics deal mostly with occultism and Satanism; the already mentioned “Far”, which means ‘Father’, is a prayer to Satan, a kind of a satanic Our Father.
Planet Satan is a hellish, apocalyptic and nihilistic album, a milestone of the genre for its sublime and chaotic ferocity. In a nutshell, an excellent album. If you still do not know Mysticum, now it's time to get acquainted with this historic Norwegian band!
Notes:
Release date: October 27 2014 on Peaceville Records.
Tracklist:
1. LSD
2. Annihilation
3. Far
4. The Ether
5. Fist of Satan
6. All Must End
7. Cosmic Gun
8. Dissolve into Impiety
Personnel:
Dr. Best: Bass, Drum programming
Svart Ravn: Vocals, Guitars
Herr General Cerastes: Vocals, Guitars
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com