Title: The Mist Bearer Pt. II
Artist: A Diadem of Dead Stars
Rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Black Metal / Ambient
Year: 2015
Country: Greece
Label: No Sleep Till Megiddo
A Diadem of Dead Stars is a one man project by a musician known only as The Pilgrim that I previously reviewed on the zine for the ‘Profaning the Ground’ EP. While that EP was a dark piece of droning doom, the band is most well-known for the style played on the album The Mist Bearer. This style of Metal is a warm and natural (as in invoking the elements of nature) form of black metal with some ‘post-Metal’ influence in the vein of Agalloch and more contemporary acts such as Old Graves and Sojourner. However, the entire band feels very traditional in the Greek sense. Hellenic Black Metal has always carried with it a certain ‘warmness’ even in it’s darkest times. A Diadem of Dead Stars carries the ancient flame without sounding dated or overtly “retro”.
This EP consists of two songs, the first being the title track The Mist Bearer Pt. II. This track is one of the strongest modern black metal compositions I’ve come across in a long time. The song opens with mellow acoustic guitars which instantly bring to mind a vast, Spring landscape. When the Metal kicks in, melodic guitars create waves of blackened riffs which wash over the listener like the tide of the Aegean Sea, accompanied with memorable tremolo riffs. Much like the Scottish band Adabroc, this is a prime example of black metal which isn’t excessively dark but still true to the essence of the genre. The synth work here is very well incorporated and not overdone at all. Choirs, woodwinds and chromatic percussion instruments are used only when needed and enhance the riffs and melodies being played. Rather than relying on these synth elements to carry the song forward, A Diadem of Dead Stars is still a guitar riff driven band. Unlike previous releases, this track also features vocals, although the song remains mostly instrumental. By the end of this 12 minute epic song, the listener is left with the feeling of having returned from a journey to a far-away land, where the ancient ways are still alive and far removed from the dreariness of the modern world. The song is nostalgic and melancholic, yet heroic at the same time, in the vein of the epic sagas of old.
The second track A Blood Red Sun Sets On Wintry Shores begins with field recordings of waves before moving into a synth key section. This ambient track is done entirely on synth and features some great plucked instrument, percussion and pad sounds, bringing to mind the ambient sections of Det Som Engang Var and Hvis Lyset Tar Oss. This track serves as a great reminder of the connection between ambient and black metal; each style is able to compliment the other and having a 12 minute epic black metal track next to an ambient song doesn’t feel awkward or out of place. While the first song is a bright journey beneath the open sky, this song allows the dawn to come before the EP ends.
This review is based on the CD version released by No Sleep Till Megiddo, and the artwork really works well to enhance the presentation of the music. The lush and bright colors used in the paintings and the portraits of landscapes help tie together the entire atmosphere of the album. This EP is highly recommended for fans of the first Mist Bearer release, and fans of Greek Black Metal in general.
