ALBUM REVIEW: Mysterium II – Celestial Season
The second instalment of CELESTIAL SEASON’s Mysterium trilogy continues with the conveniently named Mysterium II. Whilst Mysterium I wielded the disgustingly heavy power that death-doom has whilst still being hypnotically melodic, Mysterium II continues the narrative but drapes it over the blackened, mournful veil of funeral doom. With long cello and violin sections, the sequel is more sorrowful, introspective and mournful. With this in mind, Mysterium II has a beautifully gothic splendour that chills your bones as the darkness surrounds you. This is an album ripe for autumnal and winter nights, as rain lashes against your window and you sit by candlelight getting lost in the music – a perfect pathetic fallacy.
Whilst the violin and cello featured on Mysterium I, it is in this next chapter of the trilogy that they really shine, adding a sombre layer of earthy, woody tones in between the distorted, droned riffs. As a result there is an added poignance to the record, reinforcing the melancholic emotions that are intrinsically tied to slow, classical string instrument passages. As doom is a genre with plenty of space to experiment and build richly-textured layers, these wonderfully raw and emotive string melodies feels cinematic and grandiose. Jiska Ter Bals (violin) and Elianne Anemaat (cello) play so delicately and softly that as the bow resonates the strings you can feel the doleful notes penetrate your soul. This is most notably done on the interlude track Our Nocturnal Love, as soft piano and violins work in harmony to create a moving soundtrack to a lost or distant love. Whether the air of gothic romance was intentional or not, CELESTIAL SEASON’s knack for evocative melodies pulls on your heart strings and it draws out that inner hopeless romantic that we all have inside of us. Another interesting aspect of the band’s sound is Stefan Ruiters‘ voice, which is processed to sound like a wandering ghost. Deep and enigmatic, his raw growl delivery accompanied by the poetic nature of the lyrics is mournfully captivating.
Musically, CELESTIAL SEASON have been one of the premier doom bands in Europe. The magic of their seminal albums, 1993’s Forever Scarlet Passion and 1995’s Solar Lovers, was recaptured on 2021’s The Secret Teachings and this has spilled over into Mysterium II. This 40-minute journey once again re-establishes the band’s position amongst the elite of doom. While it doesn’t offer up anything new or groundbreaking, the innovative use of compelling melodies makes the album stand out as the narrative of the songs plays out between vocals, guitar leads and stringed instruments. This allows CELESTIAL SEASON to express themselves in a multitude of ways, and they do so with a maturity and sophistication that comes from a wealth of experience. Equal parts dark and moving, with Mysterium II you find yourself exploring your sorrows in an almost ritualistic way as each song feels like a precession to a new area of mournful reflection.
The Divine Duty Of Servants opens up the album with an eerie atmosphere and the phrase “Let the dead be with us” which sends a shiver up your spine. It sets the tone for the album by introducing large, droning riffs set to a bewitching, slow drum groove. Leading into Tomorrow Mourning, you start to get the cinematic feel of this album, with a gentle string introduction before a resounding drone chord comes in. In this song, guitar and stringed instruments play off of each other to mesmeric effect. Alongside this, the Spanish sounding solo in the middle of the song has the same atmospheric feel as PINK FLOYD – if they were more gothic of course. In April Darkness leads on from the interlude track Our Nocturnal Love with a soaring guitar lead that reverberates as if it was recorded in a vast Swiss alpine valley. This song feels the most melancholic and romantic, as luscious string melodies and sombre piano dominate the song, working in tandem with the guitar melodies to create a rich tapestry of sound that stirs your emotions. The Sun The Moon And The Truth brings back the encroaching darkness, with heavy, foreboding riffs, ominous chanting and eerie strings. Pictures Of Endless Beauty – Copper Sunset is CELESTIAL SEASON‘s final flourish. The nine-minute album closer consolidates all that has gone before and condenses it into one final epic track.
The real beauty of Mysterium II lies in its use of provocative melodies and expansive soundscapes to create a strong album that is romantically gothic and sombre. It will be interesting to see which way CELESTIAL SEASON will go in the concluding chapter of this musical trilogy, but for now it is best to soak up the dark splendour of Mysterium II as the winter nights begin to close in.
Rating: 8/10
Mysterium II is set for release on December 2nd via Burning World Records.
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