Originally written by Alex de Moller.
If words could take revenge on their makers…
I’d be a writhing mass of blood, saliva and utter shame this very moment…. for I can still remember the day last year when I threw a Terrorizer compilation into the dankest corner of my chamber with a poisonous half smile emblazoned on my face. I did not choose to understand the enigma that is Mithras that day, and laughed in unison with the rest of the brutish horde of UK metalheads, choking with idiocy and intolerance.
All I can say now is that the joke’s on us. Overlooked in a climate of fifth rate death metal bands and metal poverty, Mithras have had a hard climb, and now that they’ve reached the summit, it’s time to fly the fuckin flag.
Worlds Beyond the Veil is nothing more than complete metal mastery. That’s right, THE best album I’ve heard this year and I’m proud to have these bastards as my countrymen. Take a bit of epic metal, add some melody, a drop of throat cancer, some fantastic musicianship and perhaps an M-60 for a double kicker and you’ve got Mithras, a moody, trance-inducing whirlwind of a band… and they’re here for blood.
Now lets get one thing straight. This band is not one I’d like to compare to many others, but for the purposes of journalism, it’s a sin I’ll have to commit. The words ‘Morbid Angel’ come to mind on more than one occasion, particularly on the title track “Worlds Beyond the Veil” and others like “The Caller and the Listener”. There are elements of serious brutality here, however I fear this album is just a bit too much for the average camo-clad death metaller (particularly of the British variety), who would merely resort to the only actions they are capable of, grunting and dismissing.
A theme of diversity and strength is almost blatant on ‘Worlds’, sinister but tranquil instrumentals (“Break the World’s Divide” and the lengthy intro, “Portal to The…”), sonic assaults in the breed of “Voices In The Void” of and perhaps most of all, breathtaking musicianship (See “Psyrens” or indeed ANY other track).
This album is so good it should be banned. However not one of the most accessible works ever, sorry folks but it’s gonna take more than a mere listen to see the greatness of this one.
All that said… I’m sure the Bull God would be proud.
