Artist: Mystic Blood
Country: Finland
Label: Out Of The Dungeon
Formats: CD EP
Year: 2025
Dark Divinator and Haarniska seem overflowing with ideas. Mystic Blood is their latest cooperation, after also featuring together in the excellent Kerzenlicht alongside their other bands that include Dark Divination, Nekromanser, Valonkantaja, Remains of Ash, Kratti and Moonstruck. Quite impressively, each of these bands have released some excellent recordings so needless to say, the self-titled EP of this new band caught my interest.
‘Mystic Blood’ is released on the Out Of The Dungeon label on mCD and contains four tracks totalling about 18 minutes of music. While Kerzenlicht seems to be more inspired by early Satanic Warmaster and the French Black Metal scene, Mystic Blood feels like a more strict Scandinavian affair. The likes of Burzum and Gorgoroth are mixed with Finnish Black Metal such as Satanic Warmaster and even some Warloghe, in the ever-returning flirt with atonality that characterizes most of the work of Haarniska. The guitars are raw, without taking it too extremes, so the melancholy within is still very obvious. While mostly urgent in pace, the band adds some moody slower breaks, sometimes with keyboards, that further add to this sense of melancholy. In particular in ‘Hateful Landscape of Ungodly Empire’ this is done exceptionally well, creating a somewhat contrarian and disturbing back and forth. The vocals are more high-pitched and snarling than their other bands, creeping closer to those of Werwolf and perhaps Hat of Gorgoroth on their early records. Altogether, it gives the music an ancient air, brimming with youthful enthusiasm, energy and pure quality.
I continue to be impressed, not only by the volume but also by the consistent high quality of releases by these young guys. As with all their projects, Mystic Blood takes a slightly different angle but yet again shows their talent, passion and dedication for Black Metal that honors the Nordic traditions. A simply excellent EP that deserves full support.
