Album Review: Mist Of Misery – Shackles of Life (Black Lion Records)

Following up their second album Absence which was released last year, Sweden’s Mist of Misery are planning two mini-albums next. The first, Shackles of Life will be released on August 31st 2017 via Black Lion Records.

Seven tracks combining melancholy melody with ferociously blackened metal. The gloomy vibe giving the album a real sense of grandness especially on epics like Broken Chains. The longest track on the album by some distance, it soars with gorgeous somber melody built around the darkest of dark black metal.

While twisted & full of hellish vocals the morose feeling it leaves is one that you won’t want to escape from. A lot of the quality within Shackles of Life can be attributed to the great use of piano. Serving as intros, outros & breaking the metal up, there is a bundle of seriously unique melody on show here. Placid Drowning is softly haunting, A Dreamless Void is beautiful & incredibly uplifting while Opening Chapter to a Solitary Confinement will stir up all kinds of emotions.

The mini-album finishes with the sounds of howling winds & final introspective piano piece alongside some spoken words. It’s a solid finish that would stand out more had it not been two piano tunes in a row.

Shackles of Life is a fantastic listen giving off a wonderful dark melancholy melodic vibe alongside quality blasts of black metal. Impressive stuff.

Mist of Misery – Shackles of Life Full Track Listing:

1. Shackles of Life
2. Placid Drowning
3. Broken Chains
4. A Dreamless Void
5. Dagon
6. Opening Chapter to a Solitary Confinement
7. Closing Chapter

Head over to Mist of Misery’s Bandcamp or Black Lion Record’s Bandcamp to pick up the album. Find out more about the band over on Facebook & listen to some of their music on Soundcloud & YouTube. You can also find out more about Black Lion Records over on Facebook & Twitter.