Mysticism Black: Return of the Bestial Flame (2019)

I should really start a label for albums that I picked up primarily because I liked the album artwork.  It would be an oft-used tag I suspect.  This is yet another one of those releases.  I had never heard of Mysticism Black before but saw the artwork and that they are a black metal band out of the Pacific Northwest with members that have spent some time with Abigail Williams and decided to take a flyer.  The band seems to be more of a one-man project who has enlisted the help of someone to play drums, more than a true band.

The music of Mysticism Black reminds me a lot of Ancient.  It is extremely melodic black metal, with a lot of keyboard flourishes, particularly in "My Lord", which is not an especially Christian song, despite the name.  Atmosphere is important on this release, and it is accomplished most often through the use of keys, but also in other percussion instruments.  The breathtaking opening to "The Blade Unsheathed" is a terrific example of the band building suspense before hammering home a colossal riff.  It is also the best song on the album, being a microcosm of the album as a whole.  It features a lengthy lilting section with clean vocals, that serve to further the occult sound of the song, then crushes the light with another dark riff. 

This album has a dark, mysterious atmosphere to it that the band, or rather the one member, accomplishes well.  It is pretty and eerie at the same time, at least when the riffs are now crashing down around the listener and the vocalist is shrieking.  But this is a fairly interesting listen, even if it is not exactly original.  It is worth a shot.