The Pitch: 9 years later after the release of their critically lauded Behind The Shadows Lie Madness, avant-garde technical death metal band Mithras (members of Sarpanitum) return with a brutal new journey through the cosmos.
What I Like: This album is schizo as f#$k. Controlled chaos performed in a way that is completely unique to this band. The second half of this album is both challenging and crushing. "Inside the Godmind" may be the most bludgeoning song of the year. Alternatively, "The Last Redoubt" is just plain blissful.
What I Don't Like: Though I appreciate that the vocals help Mithras stand apart from other death metal bands, I feel that they work better on some songs than others. Similarly, some of the signature riffs, particularly in the first half, get repetetive.
The Verdict: Looks like I need to go back and catch up on these guys. On Strange Loops something different this year that navigates between the psychodelic, the blissful, and the brutal. While my personal opinion is that the first half of this album can be a little grating, I still give even that portion props for not bowing to convention.
Flight's Fav's: "Odyssey's End," "Time Never Lasts," "Inside The Godmind"