MALIST "is a Black Metal band which combines boisterous grit of the second wave classics with modern atmospheric elements. The lyrical themes are inspired by the sheer hostility of life itself. A grim journey starts within the underground Karst Realm." "To Mantle the Rising Sun" contains seven new tracks. "Land of the Bewitched" opens the album, with melancholy clean guitar notes. The main riff drops and along come the Black Metal vocals. It pauses for a lumbering passage, complete with key notes and a glittering lead guitar passage. This song has multiple layers as well. "Shacked Minds" opens with a classic sounding riff combined with vocal angst. Some depressing spoken words come into play at one point.

"Tempest of Sorrow" opens with doleful clean guitars that echo, reminding you of your solitary existence on earth. When the main riff hits, it hits hard. It takes on a richness when some layers are added. "The Ultimate Possession" opens with ominous guitar notes and in comes the vocals, along with heavy drum thuds. It picks up with some Progressive elements, and ultra-low vocals that just kind of hang out there. It has a depressing sound overall. "To Stifle the Fire in the Eyes" opens with some odd chord progressions, like you've never heard before. The Progressive elements are strong here...proof that this isn't Ovfrost's first time around the block. This a very powerful, emotive song.

"Blood of the Untouchable" opens with slow moving bass guitar notes and a light, steady drum rhythm. The enters the Black Metal wall, with bass notes that you can still hear moving up and down the scale. "Karsted Hearts" closes the album...a close to nine-minute opus. It opens with fast picked guitar and then layered with bass and another guitar. Ovfrost knows how to compose, that is for sure. It takes a pause around the half-way mark, and builds some atmosphere nicely. The sound returns then with more fervor...more aggressiveness. It ends with an atmospheric key passage that sounds like the end of the world.

Overall, Ovfrost did a wonderful job here of combining traditional Black Metal elements with modern, doleful melodies and even some Progressive elements, in the cadence of some of the tracks. Ovfrost also does a nice job of layering which keeps the tracks intriguing, and builds on the melodies like a seasoned songwriter. It's a wonderful album, full of surprises, but still retaining that core Black Metal sound, and the album cover is fantastic as well!