Misotheist - Vessels by Which the Devil is Made Flesh

Angry Metal Guy 80

In the overcrowded field of black metal, it’s difficult to stand out. This is even more true when you commit to working within the confines of the genre, rather than, say, employing some gimmick like “black metal meets Barbie meets hardcore.” Yet within two albums, quietly standing out is exactly what mysterious Norwegian outfit Misotheist managed to do. Forging a path that threaded the needle between “accessible” and “dissonant as fuck,” their two previous efforts, 2019’s Misotheist (dreadfully underrated by some hack at this site) and 2021’s For the Glory of Your Redeemer (appropriately rated by some hack at this site), were standouts for fans of twisty, complex, dark black metal. Which means that a new release is suddenly a big event in metal circles. Or at least, it should be. Yet Vessels by Which the Devil is Made Flesh has weirdly flown under the radar. I’m here to tell you why it deserves time in your ear holes.

In keeping with its two predecessors, Vessels features three songs of varying lengths and differing styles. Thematically and sonically, it feels like an extension of For the Glory of Your Redeemer. This means the furious black metal tracks are built around the twin pillars of dissonance and repetition, with a tone that oscillates between fury and despair. If that sounds boring, it’s not. Think how awesome bands like Sinmara and Svartidauði, who employ a similar aesthetic and sound. Those elements are the building blocks of great metal, and Misotheist manage to add their own spin to it. Through wretchedly compelling vocals, a gritty production, and unsettling signature shifts, the band conjures up something deeply primal and choking. The claustrophobia is relentless, but Vessels is relentlessly listenable because the songs are some of the best Misotheist have ever created.

Vessels by which The Devil is Made Flesh by Misotheist

Whereas previous albums featured an almost post-metal dedication to shifting sections and movements, which sometimes felt disconnected, with Vessels, Misotheist’s sound has tightened up considerably. There’s still the feeling of intense claustrophobia, but it’s more disciplined now. The melodies are more melodic, the bass is more prominent, the slower sections are more unsettling. You can feel the band growing more confident. This is highlighted by the two album standouts, “Stigma” and “Whitewashed Tombs.” Both are well over 10 minutes, and they’re both masterpieces of mood and pacing. Misotheist can switch effortlessly between jaunty chugs, twisty, mid-paced dissonance, and furious riffage, all within one song. They make it all seem so easy that it’s only after multiple listens that the complexity is revealed. The climax of “Stigma,” with its crashing drums and subtle harmonics, is so seamlessly executed, you may miss how brilliantly everything has been woven together from patches of what came before. It’s this leap in songwriting that separates this album from their debut.

The production, while not shiny by any means (which wouldn’t work for music this dark), is also an improvement. I was hard on Misotheist for totally burying the bass, making the sound a bit tinny. Vessels corrects this and the texture that is added is immediately noticeable. The sound is richer and deeper, improving every facet of the songs. Nitpicks would be that middle song, “Vessels by Which the Devil is Made Flesh” isn’t quite as strong as the ones that bulwark it, although it does feature some interesting female vocals that complement the sound very well.

Misotheist continue to quietly impress. Every 2 or 3 years, these guys drop a dark, no-nonsense banger and then disappear. Their music is neither flashy nor cool, which is why it never winds up on any major lists, but underground fans have been paying attention. Vessels is yet another hit, honing their potent sound while providing fans of dark, dissonant black metal with everything they could want. Complex, interesting, furious… if you’re a fan of black metal, you don’t want to miss out on this one.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Terratur Possessions
Websites: terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/vessels-by-which-the-devil-is-made-flesh
Released Worldwide: March 1st, 2024

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