Chalice of Thagirion

The truth is that I didn’t expect that a band like Mephorash from Sweden, after their indifferent first album, to catch my attention and even so soon after “Death Awakens”. Finally they come back at the end of 2012 with their second full length album, “Chalice of Thagirion” in order to prove that they have something to offer to Black Metal. This album consists of eleven compositions, the final track is an ambient atmospheric track, of about fifty five minutes of duration. By the very first track it seems that the band has changed much its sound, making the compositions more complex and technical, having added to the Heavy elements that still exist, brutal passages, beautiful melodies or slow atmospheric passages.

The way that the band is composing, it seems to have matured as the structure of the tracks is good, while the riffs show a great variety both in rhythm and in style, they are interesting and inspired. The most important improvement that the band achieved since the first album is to show personality. Surely I don’t claim that you have never heard before tha mo;ysic that Mephorash play but the personal work and identity appears in every track. Generally the riffs combine the fast Swedish Black Metal with some Heavy rhythmic passages, some heavy Death parts and some references to “Orthodox” Black Metal.

All instruments are played with accuracy, without mistakes, with a lot of passion and with very interesting lines. The guitars are those which rule in the compositions putting out the feeling and creating the atmosphere in every track, while the bass and the drums fill the sound nicely. The vocals are harsh Black Metal vocals, maybe they remind a little of Satyr, but they are expressive and fit to the compositions. The production is another part that have been improved much in this album. It is clean and bassy while it gives the power needed by the sound so that a very good result to come out. The mix is very good as all instruments can be heard clearly and at the same time the sound comes out very massive. The lyrics are written in English and they are dark, Satanic, while some of them refer to a more “Orthodox” consideration of Satanism.

I think that Mephorash with their new album achieved to prove that they have to give, if not something new, surely an interesting album. The improvement that they have shown is impressive and that generates a lot of expectations for the future. Concerning “Chalice of Thagirion”, it satisfied me and I think that it is a good album that it deserves a listen.