Today, Norma Evangelium Diaboli announces May 24th as the international release date for Misþyrming’s highly anticipated second album, Algleymi.
Misþyrming hail from Reykjavík, Iceland. Since their formation in 2013, the band have put the Icelandic black metal scene on the international metal map, both with the sterling quality of their sparse-yet-momentous discography thus far as well as their spellbinding live performances across numerous festivals and tours of Europe. Although certain bands within that Icelandic black metal scene have been around slightly longer or have more prolific catalogs, it could be easily argued that Misþyrming are seen as Icelandic black metal’s leading light – or bringers of light, a veritable Lucifer made manifest in white-hot black metal flesh.
Much of this can be attributed to Misþyrming’s debut album, Söngvar elds og óreiðu. Translated in English as “Songs of fire and chaos,” their debut album was aptly titled, and soon became a modern classic in the worldwide black metal scene, with its tentacles of influence eventually stretching beyond the underground. And understandably so, for its punishing and wrathful sound betrayed a uniquely melodic aspect that sacrificed no amount of infernal power so intrinsic to true black metal. As such, Söngvar elds og óreiðu landed 9th place on Noisey’s Top 100 albums of the year, outranking artists like their fellow Icelander Björk. The vinyl edition of Söngvar elds og óreiðu sold out within two days and has been highly demanded by fans ever since, regardless of numerous repressings. In 2016, Metal Hammer – Europe’s biggest metal magazine – named Misþyrming as one of the Top 10 Icelandic bands.
But these accolades matter little, if at all, to Misþyrming. Ever restless but wisely patient in their creations, the full fruit of their artistic labor has now arrived with the stark and startlingly accomplished Algleymi. At once logically following from Söngvar elds og óreiðu whilst treading brave new paths, Misþyrming’s sophomore album is a kaleidoscopic worldwide of maverick black metal, Icelandic or otherwise. It retains for the relentless brutality of its debut predecessor while exhibiting a simultaneously taut and free-flowing muscularity. Similarly, the band’s bold melodicism has reached a grandiose new level here, as haunting atmospheres meld with properly anthemic elements, exhibiting space and shade with equal rapture. And that’s all to say nothing of the album’s production; recorded & mixed by the band at the Icelandic Black Metal HQ and mastered by the esteemed Jamie Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios, Misþyrming here exhibit a swaggering professionalism that’s undeniably powerful and frankly unchallenged. From blasphemous ceremonies to a total rejection of humanity, Algleymi above all displays a maturity that safely evades the negative connotations otherwise associated with that word, especially within a black metal context.
“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law,” and indeed do Misþyrming pursue that creed here – with a vengeance, unfettered and frightening. Adorned with cover art courtesy of the masterful Manuel Tinnemans, Misþyrming have delivered another Great Work for the ages with Algleymi.
Full-album stream to be revealed during week of release. Preorder info can be found HERE at Norma Evangelium Diaboli’s Bandcamp. Aforementioned cover art and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Misþyrming’s Algleymi
- Orgia
- Með svipur á lofti
- Ísland, steingelda krummaskuð
- Hælið
- Og er haustið líður undir lok
- Allt sem eitt sinn blómstraði
- Alsæla
- Algleymi
MORE INFO:
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