There has been a foreshadowing of what’s to come from ‘Prosaic’ since the release of Mizmor’s collaborative album ‘Myopia’ with Thou last year. The one man blackened drone doom project has been around for over a decade, despite this ‘Prosiac’ is only his fourth full length album, yet with every release across this relatively small discography, each one has felt as though it is building towards something, creating a sound that is more cohesive.
This record feels like the culmination of this. Bolting straight out of the gate with the bracing gallop of black metal romp ‘Only an Expanse’, Mizmor flays away the pomp and circumstance of the genre to lay out the bare bones of a genre that, at its core, is incredible when it’s not drowning in pretense. The densely laid reverb and razor sharp riffs create viscous backtrop for the throaty screams of the vocals to sit atop, and with plenty of shifts in tempo it keeps you on your toes for the full near-15 minute run time.
There are threads of Primitive Man, Bell Witch and Yellow Eyes all woven together to create a spool that is vibrant, energetic and still creative enough to stand alongside the more marked drone influence of Mizmor’s earlier records.
The funereal dirge of closing track ‘Acceptance’ is a definite highlight of the opus. The glacial pace oozes its way slowly towards an explosive zenith, ending on a tempestuous note and leaving a lasting impression that imparts the urge go right back to the beginning – an ouroborous of sorts.
An exciting chapter in the evolution of Mizmor, and hopefully an indication of more to come in the not too distant future.
(8/10 Angela Brown)
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