Doom, that terminally beyond fashion genre of music that inspires the most fervent of supporters (myself among them), is one of those genres that never bows to the dictates of fashion allowing those bands who exist within its vortex to experiment as they see fit. Mirror of deception are a case in point. Brutally downbeat, they take the blueprint of Reverend bizarre and Cathedral on this, their fourth album in twenty years, and twist it through their own unique mixture of NWOBHM (via densely plotted harmony solos) and psychedelic influences.
Openign up ‘Mirror of deception’ is ‘Isle of horror’ a suitably epic, downcast blast of Black Sabbath riffs, Iron maiden flourishes and lower-than-the-bowels-of-hell vocals. It’s gloriously bleak but filled with shades and contrast which keeps it from collapsing into a Thergothon-esque spiral of dismay. ‘The riven tree’ moves into more Reverend Bizarre territory (think ‘doom all over the world’) offering up a more sprightly take on doom (although that’s rather like comparing a slug and a snail in terms of speed) complete with vocal harmonies and the sort of guitar that Paradise lost make their stock in trade when they’re not dabbling in electronica. ‘Heroes of the atom age’ once again hints at Iron Maiden with a moody, bass-led sound that recalls ‘fear of the dark’ before the folk-tale-gone-metal ‘bellwethers in mist’ appears conjuring images of medieval minstrels only laden with flaming guitars rather than lutes. Gloriously melodic yet still retaining the heaviness you want and expect from a doom band it’s a triumphant track that serves up a classical spin to the formula which transports the listener to a bygone age of castles and maidens with its insistent melody and literary lyrics.
Where ‘bellwether’s…’ transports the listener to a different age, ‘unforseen’ is an altogether darker prospect in the vein of classic my dying bride but with a progressive edge. That progressive feel continues for the Opeth-esque interlude ‘December’ which is an icy, beautifully rendered instrumental that gives way to the pummelling drums of Lauernder Schmerz’, an adventurous, mid tempo beast that lumbers rather than sprints but which gets the blood pumping nonetheless thanks to the massed vocal parts and also to the bass work which, upon closer inspection, turns out to be far more intricate than you initially realise. Things take a turn for the epic with the sombre, funeral march of ‘walking through the clouds’ – a none-more-slow number that recalls the greatest moments of Black Sabbath’s heyday. Another segue track follows – the sombre, almost Mogwai-esque piece ‘Leguano’ which is quietly beautiful – before ‘Sojourner’ rumbles into view on a riff that could shake the foundations of the Empire State building. A stately number filled with foreboding and an ominous vocal delivered with the passion and commitment of the truly dedicated it is a highlight of this grimly remarkable album. Oddly ‘the flood and the horses’ stuns by sounding like Syd Barret Era Pink Floyd playing ‘Black Sabbath’. It’s heavy, sure, but also strangely psychedelic and the vocals in particular recall Syd’s nasal intonation. The final track on this dark odyssey is ‘Voyage obscure’, an epic, beautifully played piece which cements Mirror of Deception’s reputation as masters of the genre.
There is so much to admire here it’s hard to know where to start. The amount of time, care and attention to detail that has gone into producing this album has more than paid off as Mirror of Deception have created a masterpiece that has the timeless feel of Black Sabbath’s nascent outpourings to it. Utterly without regard to the machinations of the music industry, the influences here are wide ranging and perfectly integrated to make a seemless whole. Aspects of folk, medieval music, heavy metal, NWOBHM, doom and classical music all swirl through the mix to form an album that will be adored by doom fans the world over. A peerless masterclass in doom, this is an unmitigated triumph. Moreover if you buy the special edition you’ll find it packaged with a bonus disc of covers and rarities.
‘A smouldering fire’ is out now on Cyclone Empire.
