Mystic Charm – Shadows Of The Unknown 2LP
Mystic Charm – 'Shadows Of The Unknown' 2LP
Double LP edition on 180g black vinyl in gatefold sleeve with A4 booklet limited to 400 copies
On the strength of their 1992 demo and 1993 7” EP, Dutch death doom pioneers Mystic Charm entered Harrow Studios to record their first full length album. Released on the Belgian label Shiver Records, “Shadows of the Unknown” is a doom-laden masterpiece of atmospheric death metal. Mystic Charm’s reputation and legacy have always been tied to the vocals of Rini Lipman. The gray, charcoal rasp of her voice adds a sinister quality, darkening the abysmal landscape conjured by the instrumentation while leaving intelligible the sullen and evocative lyrics, most of which were written by Lipman herself. The songs are composed from seamlessly stitched riffs that traverse the chasm between relentless death metal and haunting, melodic doom. Interspersed among the dense, swelling walls of guitars are subtly placed keyboards, whispered vocals, and acoustic guitars, adding a melancholic dimension to the tracks, all of which is braced by the mechanized precision of the drums. Compared with the band’s earlier recordings, the album is more tightly performed and produced. This new double LP, featuring both “Shadows of the Unknown” and “Hell Did Freeze Over,” is the first official vinyl reissue of either recording.
