From Bandcamp, "Onism Productions and Folkvangr Records proudly present "In the Throes of Losing Love," the entrancing new album from MISTRAL. Nine tracks of Polish Post-Black Metal combining the contradicting beauty and anguish of bands such as ALCEST, SADNESS and AGALLOCH - with their own unique touch. Following the loss of their bassist, the music has only become deeper and more emotional, an expressive journey through life and death. Harsh black metal intensity juxtaposes serene and sometimes experimental interludes, creating an immersive musical experience to get lost within."

"The Ossuary" is the first song. It's Black Metal, but with a heavy dose of desperation as well. The melodies that the band is able to build are pretty in their sense of Doom. The vocals are stark, and desperate, while the music is quite charming at times. "Inquietude" has harsh vocals that cut against the melodic tones like a knife. The clean tones in the song give the listener a sense of hope, and it is glorious. They are so delicate that it makes your heart ache. They let those tones ride out for much of the song, filling your heart to the brim. "Retrograde (A Mind Adrift)" is a shorter song. Cold winds howl in the background, over a bed of steadily clean guitars. The tension in the air is staggering.

"In Division" is twice as long. Following the reprieve, they sooth your soul once again with easy and catchy melodies, under a bed of filthy harsh vocals. The smooth tones ride like a Harley over clean roads, until the engine begins to heat up, causing a breakdown. You feel this in your soul. "Unto You" hears the pattern of a shorter song following a lengthy one. The clean guitar tones are both tense, and ugly in a way. They drive straight into your stomach, where they sit like a rock. "Glass Houses" opens with more clean tones of hope. They build with electronic elements in tow and are washed away by menacing harsh vocals. The music is almost peaceful in a way, although tones of death come with it. "If it Weren't for the Break of Dawn" is a two-minute reprieve. The disease subsides for a while, giving you a few moments to catch your breath.

"Ashbreather" is the longest, at over ten-minutes in length. This gives the song plenty of time to wrap up gifts in cold, lifeless hands, as you ponder the meaning of your existence. The clean tones are again very charming, almost pure in their delivery. But the harsh vocals are there to remind you of the difficult journeys you have to face in life each and every day. How will you face the next one? "Still No Closure" closes the album. It is there to assure you that you will probably never reach closure in your life. Jovial tones spring forth from the guitars, but there is a shadow lurking in the background.

Overall, this album was as melodic and memorable as it was cold, harsh, and unforgiving. The filthy Black Metal sound bites as hard as winter winds, but the clean and hopeful elements restore your sense of things being right in the world. In the end, the conclusion is still questionable, but that is exactly what makes good music. You will have to work for what you want in this life, and no one will hand you anything.