Multinational and presumably studio based band SPACE MIRRORS have been around for just over a decade a this point. At this point in time the band revolves around the composing skills of founder member and keyboardist Alisa Coral if I understand their history correctly, as fellow founding member Michael Blackman left the band a few years back. “The Other Gods”, released through Swedish label Transubstans Records, is the band’s fifth full length production, and their second full length album following the departure of Blackman.
There are many elements on this production that intrigue, and quite a few details that fascinate me to boot. While I normally don’t care too much about lyrics, I do find it charming to see a band that opts to create an album revolving around cosmic horrors in general and H. P. Lovecraft’s variety of it in particular. The music is dark, also a positive point in my book, the band utilize keyboards and guitars as contrasting features that at the same time assemble into fairly majestic soundscapes, which is another details I tend to appreciate. That lead vocalist Martyr Lucifer has a deep theatrical voice and tends to opt for a talk-like delivery more often than not another details that normally is something I’d enjoy. Still, even with these details in place, this is an album that just doesn’t manage to impress me.
Aforementioned lead vocalist Lucifer has a distinct accent that doesn’t do his vocals any favors, at least not in this case. That he tends to opt subtly out of tune and generally prefers to reside within a melodic context different from and not in harmony with the instrumentation perhaps more of a problem, depending on just what kind of vocals you tend to enjoy obviously. But for me this combination tends to grate against my nerves and my brain both.
The crashing cymbals almost a mainstay throughout is another element less than charming to my ears, as are the monotone drum patterns and the dark, muddy chugging and occasionally grinding guitars. There are synthesizers and keyboards present here too somewhere, but dampened, indistinct and halfways buried in the arrangements. Cosmic surges and futuristic effects appears now and then, but the less dominant keyboard motifs, while audible, often drowns in a mix and production that to my ears is just too lacking in overall quality.
While there are a lot of aspects to this album that comes across as less than positive to me, I wouldn’t say that this production is without a likely audience. The overall dark and oppressing atmosphere that is a constant presence throughout is one that will have a niche appeal, and the vocals of Martyr Lucifer does have a very distinct presence that will also come across as a positive feature to some. This is an album with a niche appeal however, and while I can’t heartily recommend it myself I’d suggest that those who find the general idea of a disc filled with dark, brooding and doom-tinged cosmic metal to be an intriguing one to ponder investigating this one.
My rating: 42/100
