A new step forward for The Mist From the Mountains.
Two years after their debut album, the Finnish band led by Tuomas Karhumäki (vocals, Black Beast), Tuukka Ahonen (guitar), Henri Villberg (bass/keyboards, Diablerie, Disciples of the Void), Petri Mäkipää (drums, Disciples of the Void, Diablerie) and Lasse Mämmi (guitar, Disciples of the Void, ex-Diablerie) continue their adventure with Primitive Reaction and unveil Portal – The Gathering of Storms.
Waves greet us on And So Flew the Death Crow, quickly followed by the first melodies and clean vocals, but the quietude is short-lived as saturation takes over to create a majestic sound. The growls and Black Metal roots allow the track to anchor itself in fury without forgetting its epic elements, creating a fascinating duality that also allows for moments of wavering before moving into a more Old School dimension with The Seer of Ages, whose catchy rhythmic pattern is quick to rage. Dark Folk/Pagan influences are also to be found within the ferocious riffs, but also more soothing backing vocals that contribute to the soaring atmosphere and a harmonious Prog break before the final tornado that leads to the devastating At the Roots of the Vile, which is immediately supported by devastating drums. The track proves to be a perfect condensation of opposing influences, offering both unbridled violence and ritualistic parts before combining them in grandiose fashion before Among the Black Waves takes over with a haunting sound, welcoming a mysterious female voice that captivates us on this first acoustic part. The saturated riffs drive the vocalist to redouble her intensity to accompany the band, but the rhythm will eventually ignite and return to furious screams to darken on the final section, while In Longing Times allows us to catch our breath again to bury us under its surge. Clean vocals contrast with the jerky instrumental, creating a striking contrast that continues throughout the track, where icy tones rub shoulders with imposing moments, as on Saiva, the final composition where the band pulls out all the stops to develop each of their influences, from piercing leads to complementary vocal parts that haunt the track almost constantly.
The Mist From the Mountains had already done a great job with their debut album, but Portal – The Gathering of Storms takes the band to the next level. The atmosphere created on this album is majestic, offering moments of striking violence as well as a truly exhilarating quietude.
95/100