ALBUM REVIEW: Age Of Excuse – Mgła

Though MGŁA have been grafting in the Polish underground black metal scene for well over a decade, it was 2015’s landmark Exercises In Futility that really saw the duo rocket form relative obscurity to underground darlings. Their raw, but melodic, brand of black metal has seen MGŁA become one of European black metal’s premier exports in recent years, and after a four year wait, the duo return with their fourth full length album, Age Of Excuse. But do the duo maintain the incredible form of Exercises In Futility, or do we see a drop in quality as MGŁA progress? 

As with every release from MGŁA, Age Of Excuse is best enjoyed as one whole, rather than a collection of individual songs. However, here marks the strength of Age Of Excuse: while the record works best as one continuous listen with each track acting as a chapter in the musical tome, every song here also works fantastically in isolation, memorable in their own rights. I opens the album with an unsettling gnashing of teeth, before M. drives the track forward with cold, despairing riff work. There’s a very real sense of urgency running through I as it progresses, the melodic elements of MGŁA‘s sound falling subtly into place as the ever-tight drum work from Darkside keeps the pace high.

Lead single II stands as a masterclass in how to create suitably dark, raw and thoughtful black metal with accessible hooks. Subtle lead flourishes and drum patterns keep things memorable, while the nihilistic lyrics tear through you with M.‘s career-best delivery. A stand out moment from II comes as M. kicks off the chorus with the eviscerating line “Between the grinder and the abattoir/Such are the landscapes of grief.” III carries an old-school SATYRICON feel throughout, maintaining the level of intensity and urgency and leaving the listener with no opportunities to catch a breath, while IV, the only track falling under the six-minute mark, creates an oppressively bleak atmosphere as it pushes Age Of Excuse to it’s conclusion.

The climatic duo of V and VI take their places as not just the highlight moments from Age Of Excuse, but two of the best songs MGŁA have written thus far in their career. Opening on a sombre note with a spoken-word monologue, penultimate track V builds into a mid-paced bruiser with M. signalling the start of the song proper by spitting “Not just yet!” with more venom and vitriol than we’ve seen so far. A swirling maelstrom of raw nihilism, V advances from it’s mid-tempo stomp into a full blown black metal assault before stepping things back down towards its closing moment.

VI ends Age Of Excuse on the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The nine-minute-plus-change opus opens with a simple but effective guitar-line and a wonderful drum fill from Darkside, before pushing into the main body. With lead guitar work that draws comparison to IRON MAIDEN burying itself in the mix alongside the melancholic riffs and hate-fuelled vocals, VI cements itself in the listener’s subconscious, certain to replay long after Age Of Excuse has ceased spinning. A break comes around the midway point, with M. prophetically exclaiming “Empires get wrecked/ Principles get crushed/ Saviours get crucified/ History gets what?/ History fucking gets over it all!“, signalling a return to the whirlwind assault the sees the track almost to its conclusion. The final, sombre riff of the album fades into silence, leaving a tangible emptiness in its wake.

Exercises In Futility was almost untouchable. Universally acclaimed, it stood as a near-perfect example of black metal in the 21st century. But, somehow, MGŁA have managed to surpass themselves with Age Of Excuse. Somehow, the songwriting is tighter. The hooks more memorable. The lyrics more biting, and the vocals more passionate. Throughout, the execution is truly flawless, and though competition this year is tight, it would come as no surprise to see MGŁA universally taking the “Album Of The Year” awards for 2019. Exercise In Futitlity was near-perfect; Age Of Excuse shows us exactly what perfection sounds like.

Rating: 10/10

Age Of Excuse is out now via No Solace. 

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