MYSTFALL
MYSTFALL “Celestial Vision”
By Dark Starr
This is a symphonic metal band from Greece. This album is the kind of thing that really grows on you. It also seems to get stronger and stronger as it continues. I think this is one of my favorite releases of 2023 largely because they are able to take the metal and symphonic concepts and merge them so well on this release. I'm not blown away by every song, but all of them work really well, and the blending overall is particularly strong.
"Resisting Heaven" opens the album, and symphonic elements are on display as it gets underway. It gradually builds out, and gets some operatic vocals over the top as it continues. The number serves as an introduction. Piano starts things here on "Celestial Vision." Then it gets into some powerful metal zones as it continues. We get both operatic vocals and extreme metal ones in the mix as the song evolves. It is metal, but it's also symphonic. The mix is dramatic, powerful and unusual.
"Centuries" comes next, and while there are no big changes here, the track is more successful somehow. Perhaps it's because it's more mainstream while still getting quite symphonic. This reminds me of some of the best symphonic metal you can think of. It just works so well. It is very powerful. The guitar soloing is absolutely on fire. This is definitely a highlight of the disc. Driving and fierce, "Endless" is also symphonic and somewhat proggy at times. It's not a big change, but it manages to stand on its own.
Piano and symphonic elements merge as "Silence" gets going. The vocals come in over the top in a balladic way. It does eventually get into more metallic territory. Overall it's more of a power-ballad in a lot of ways, though. There are some cool changes here, and it gets both crunchy and symphonic.
Firing out with up-tempo and driving power metal, "Kings Of Utopia" still has some symphonic elements at play. It is another that is among the best here. It just seems to merge all the concepts in a particularly effective way.
The symphonic metal that gets "Moral Compass" going is a little more mainstream than some of the rest. It drops to nearly progressive rock territory for some of the vocal parts here. It is another standout getting into some really powerful metallic territory later. There is a drop back to some trippy stuff, but it powers back out into killer symphonic metal from there.
More pure symphonic music starts things on "The Balance Of Time." After a time it gets some energy and crunch added as it turns more toward the metal side of things. This one has a dropped back vocal movement that comes in from there. It also has some of the most extreme metal of the set further down the road. It is another that works better than some of the others. It also has some scorching hot guitar soloing. "Freedom Path" is the album's closer, and powerful symphonic metal gets it going in style. It is another candidate for the strongest track here. It's powerful and symphonic and really rocks.