MYSTIFIER are a band from Brazil that plays and old-school, doomy brand of Blackened Death Metal since 1989. The band is carried forward by their lead guitarist Beelzeebubth and two new members. Some of you may know the band from the soundtrack of Harmony Corrine's "Gummo" that features many interesting extreme Metal songs. MYSTIFIER's hasn't changed over the years: already on their first album "Wicca" they play a mix of Doom riffs and old-school Blackened Death in the vain of SARCÓFAGO, NECROMANTIA, THOU ART LORD or early MORBID ANGEL. The music has a lot of melody and atmosphere that reminds me of old-school Greek Black Metal bands like NECROMANTIA or ROTTING CHRIST, some songs on the new album even have a bit of a latter-day ROTTING CHRIST vibe - a bit of a mysterious vibe with chants, synths and dark melodies.

The opening song, which is also the title song, is mostly a mid-tempo groove and an ominous, repetitive chorus, slightly Middle-Eastern sounding leads and of course a faster section with a heavier groove. The song has thick, mysterious atmosphere that reminds me of latter-day ROTTING CHRIST or RUDRA. The following "Weighing Heart Ceremony" has heavy aggressive part but also slower parts with melodic phrases. The song has a really nice flow and development. The following "Witching Lycanthropic Moon" is also a doomy, melodic song with and its chorus has a really catchy chorus. There are also songs with a stronger Death Metal vibe: "Akhenaton (Son Mighty Sun)" mixes old-school Death Metal aggression with groove and melody, there are also nice synth-driven mid-tempo sections and of course good guitar leads.

"Demoler las Torres del Cielo" is an old-school Death Metal rager with as are "Soultrap Sorcery of Vengeance" and "Al Nakba (666 Days of War)". The last mentioned song a little bit less memorable then the two others -a little bit "meh" in comparison. There are more mediocre cuts on the album, but the songwriting is interesting enough to keep the songs from falling into mediocrity. The Stoner Doom verse riff "(Introcucione d'la Melodia Mortuoria) Thanatopraxy" is kind of meh but the chorus is solid; there are also really catchy melodic guitar leads that make me with that the song was better. "Six Towers of Belial's Path" also falls a bit into the "okay, but nothing special category", but it has a nice chorus. There are ten songs on the album and the total play-time is fifty minutes.

MYSTIFIER show that they can write a solid album that is on par or almost on par with their older releases. If you enjoy old-school, melodic Blackened Death Metal this album is delivers some really good cuts - and some not as great but pretty solid nonetheless.