These German diabolists have had a long running career stretching right back to 1992 but there have been many deviations down the left hand path disrupting their Infernal Satanic Verses. With a revolving door line up seeing almost 20 musicians falling at the flaming sword there have been various breaks in progression. Indeed, many thought they had completely ceased all activity after 2006 album ‘The Bloody Path Of God’ being wrathfully smitten down until finally resurrected by founding members Graf von Beelzebub along with drummer A. Blackwar in 2021. With a new lease of life and self-titled release Mystic Circle were back with an album that we found contained “plenty of fire and brimstone, abundant hatred and evil.”
Evidently finding a new vigour, it’s been just over a year for the dastardly duo to follow up and invoke the Erzdämon (Archdemon) and as they swagger into the first part of the title track the spark is obviously very much here. This is well polished black metal, a sound that has had a fair few bucks thrown at it rather than a kvlt bedroom biscuit tin sound. This melodic sound of the antichrist gallops along with suitably coarse and rasping vocals, a symphonic backdrop and occasional choral parts behind its drive. There’s also some neat flowing guitar solos with metal at their heart and there is a rich and compulsive flair about it all. Beelzebub keeps things varied throughout the journey and puts in a few surprises such as the cold retro synthwave sound at intro of ‘From Hell.’ Not to be left behind A. Blackwar clatters off and the two of them enrapture with varied tempos, snaking leads and even some spoken word parts. Songs like ‘Unholy Trinity’ have a galloping panache about them and really start to hook you in after the first couple of listens. Essentially this is “classy” stuff, perhaps a word you wouldn’t normally associate with black metal and it definitely sits on the more theatrical side of things such as bands like Dimmu Borgir & Dark Funeral which is quite impressive considering there are just the two of them.
Naturally theatricality might be construed as cheesy by some especially when they consider the commercial sheen on songs like ‘The Scarecrow’ which simply wants a brain and an audience singing along rather than leaving confused with unfathomable occult doctrines. Yes, it’s actually at times quite fun, a blasphemy in itself. Some of the guitar melodies on this one are pure Dissection / Watain too. With all the traditions of a Universal Horror at heart, apart from the Scarecrow there’s also a Mothman and Skinwalker duly trotted out and I guess I am not exactly finding the abundant hatred and evil mentioned early here but then again this really does make a change from a sub-genre that often takes itself far too serious to actually enjoy. Adding studio embellishments and effects from tinkling keys, tolling bells and organ parts does nothing in the way of ill will either and although many po-faced listeners will be quick to dismiss the duo’s brand of delicious demonology here, there’s plenty to appeal to those looking for what is essentially a blockbusting thrill-ride.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
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