Deception - The Mire
Rob Mules Records
Progressive Technical Blackened Symphonic Death Metal
10 songs (47'08")
Release year: 2021
Reviewed by Alex

The Mire by Norwegian Deception (formerly Art of Deception) is anything but a typical death metal. It doesn’t pummel you to death or attempts to grind you into submission … yet it does do exactly that. The Mire isn’t ultramelodic … yet melody is constantly present. The album can be called progressive for the shear musicality it brings … but it doesn’t show off. What can be said for sure is that The Mire is a busy, not easy to get into from the first listen, record, which covers just about every territory in existence in death metal.

The Mire starts without an intro, without fanfare, with Remission blasting out of nowhere. The album is just in a rush to get to its multiple points, it simply can’t waste time. There is non-linear Swedish death/thrash a la Darkane (Remission, Internal Breeding), ominously titled and ominously sounding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which reminds me of Incantation with melodic bottom growling sounding like Johan Hegg, blackened higher shrieks in multiple songs which makes the album at times sound like Kataklysm, and even a few Entombed death’n’roll moments (Forest of Demise). One second The Mire blasts out, next the song slows down and becomes overtly melodic (Return of the Baphomet). Blackened and grandiose with demonic and mid-Eastern motif (Grasp of Lilith) coexists with straight up death metal with slightly off-beat riffs (Acid Reflux), and to top it all off Instituion Ablaze and Excavation-Burial of a Child are hellish, towering and symphonic. To show ability to execute at slower speeds, Excavation-Burial of a Child plays it more deliberately and measured, which makes it both more mournful and sinister, with the expansive melodic middle. Fast hammering coexists with slower breakdown and nimble leads. Throwing these seemingly unwieldy combinations of styles somehow always tends to work out for Deception. The ultimate here of course is a 10 min closer Asphyxia. The band throws everything and a kitchen sink at the listener. Symphonic start, major ponding to follow, the song is a harsh death metal epic of sorts. Melody, riffs, quieter moments, Gothenburg metal flying at dizzying speeds, the song doesn’t appear to last as long as it does, and I wonder if it is close to the longest death metal song on record (deliberate album-length concepts like Crimson from Edge of Sanity not counting). The final 2 min chop and gasping for air for the last 30 sec is title fitting and will leave you gasping for air yourself. The Mire cannot be comprehended on the first try, will require consecutive spins … and you will find a different track or moment to like on your next time through.

Deception is an example of someone who doesn’t settle and certainly can’t sit still, The Mire shifts, changes shape, and inverts constantly. It is if the album is possessed with a non-stop twitch, a Tourette syndrome of sorts. Except whereas Tourette sufferers are condemned to a repetitive jerky motions, Deception twists and curls differently every single moment while constantly focused on a single goal to melt your face off with musicality, quality musicianship and passion. This is a very worthy listen.

Killing Songs :
Return of the Baphomet, Institution Ablaze, Excavation-Burial of a Child, Asphyxia
Alex quoted 82 / 100
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There are 2 replies to this review. Last one on Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:57 pm
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