CoC : Mystifier - The Fourth Evil Calling From the Abyss : Review

Mystifier - _The Fourth Evil Calling From the Abyss_
(Eldritch Music, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)

This disc actually arrived in the same package as Divina Enema [reviewed above], and what a peculiar companion it is for that Belarussian theatrical metal album -- even though they are also on Eldritch Music from Belarus (and having previously been on Osmose), Mystifier are actually a Brazilian band playing thrashy death metal. One of the first things you are likely to notice is the prominent and involved bass work. Varied arrangements, plenty of guitar soloing and occasional keyboard touches are also to be found, with cavernous grunts and blackened rasps completing the picture. Mystifier's mid-paced music is reasonably technical and decently produced -- that is until midway through the record, where it goes into demo-tape-thrown-onto-CD mode. The material on this second half is apparently from a 1989 demo tape. The sound quality becomes very low (tape hiss included), and the music sounds muffled and frankly uninteresting after the more recent recordings that fill the first half of the disc. The first half contains a 1999 MCD, two cover songs (Sarcofago and Poison) and two new tracks. Totaling one hour of material, the album may be a reasonable purchase if you are particularly keen on the genre, even if you aren't interested in the demo material that makes up its second half. There are some good passages during the rather competent first half, but I feel both the percentage and total amount of interesting material here is likely to prove a bit low overall for the average listener.

Contact: dzianis@eldritch-music.com (Europe)

(article published 19/10/2001)

ALBUMS
9/7/2003	J Smit	3	Mystifier - Profanus
11/10/1996	S Hoeltzel	8	Mystifier - The World Is So Good That Who Made It Doesn't Live Here