When it is filthy and raw, of course with the necessity of an old school vibe, it doesn't mean that it is actually good. Forging an old school release, whether extreme or the other way around, in my opinion and probably others should be done with caring in order for it to survive the test of time. Serving my ears with the new instalment of MUTILATION RITES didn't sparkle anything. It was virtually disconcerting. An American Black Metal pack from NYC trying to enrol themselves along with the old Norwegian scene alongside infusing stuff like Crust / Punk and tiny bits of Thrash. Their new album "Empyrean", via Prosthetic Records, is a clear wishful thinking to recreate the same old sensations that were once preached by acts as DARKTHRONE or early DISSECTION. Sadly that their release wasn't at least bit soothing, especially with the band's own addition of playing in the back neck of the black extremity following a malformed sound production.

For one thing, I like the energies that Black Metal has been possessing for years. The old school kind has been preserving the raw form of hellish speed and simple trill riffing. MUTILATION RITES did the same on this here album but in overall it ended up being boning and banal without any kind of diversity that could have helped the release to sound just a tad more intelligent. The supposed shifts between raw Black Metal into the Crust / Punk drives paved a crumbling path towards additional banalities and gloomy features. Furthermore, I am still a bit puzzled if the composers ever wrote lyrics to the songs because all I could distinguish were snarls and howls that other than sounding practically vigorous and foul, didn't provide a single thing to the songs. So I asked myself why even bother singing, if you can actually recognize it as that. "A Season Of Grey Rain" and "Dead Years" might be great darkened names for song titles but this is where it ends. These two especially reflected that MUTILATION RITES didn't seem to care about what others will comment about their doings. Also with following after their hearts' wishes they remained stuck in the same spot without hinting of a future progress. "Ancient Bloodoath" is possibly the only the tune that to a certain extent revealed a solid musical performance and a moderate song writing.

"Empyrean" might hold a profound darkened theme under its cloak but a rotten apple deep within. It is not that it was hard to digest the band's musical perception; it is because the onward making of this album didn't consider that it might not survive as a future pattern. Think about an experiment without a depth, without a sense of purpose. That is what MUTILATION RITES led me to believe in their own horrible way. The unification of Black Metal and Crust music can be attained but certainly not like as it was displayed right here. Let's see if anything different will take place on the band's next release.