Svartsyn by Mylingen is a sweepìng, grandiose piece of melodic Blackend Death Metal that is;
a journey through the dark recesses of man, exploring themes such as depression, hate, deception, and lust.
Though I had to take the press releases word for that part of it as all the lyrics are in Swedish, which I discovered when I read the lyric sheet, and I don’t speak Swedish. Let’s be honest here, I can barely speak English…
This was a deliberate choice on behalf of the driving force behind Mylingen, former Apathy Noir member Viktor Jonas, and it gives Svartsyn a very unique feel to it. Which probably sounds like a weird thing for me to say, especially in this day and age where bands – more specifically metal bands – are willing to record in their native tongue, instead of going for the almighty dollar and converting everything they do to the more accessible and commonly used format, but it is an important part of what Mylingen offers on Svartsyn, as the whole EP is an incredibally unique experience.
Mainly because if you read the statement about this record being focused on depression, hate, deception, and lust, yod may have – as I foolishly did – assumed this would be full of maudlin songs, decrying the world in the DSBM style of genre, but it’s not. Not by a long shot.
Mylingen doesn’t bring the depressing side of Black Metal to the fore here – a genre I should point out I have quite a soft spot for, so put down the flamming torches and pitchforks, please – instead, focusing on rage and anger as the musical medium to get the message across.
This helps make Svartsyn a genre defining and bending work, spanning four tracks that not only straddle the the void between Black/Death Metal with consummate ease, but also isn’t afraid to mix in the likes of classical, jazz, and folk as it carries you on along its path.
It is, at times, both as angry and primal as an erupting volcano, while, somehow, managing to be as cold and soul freezing as an Arctic winter.
Viktor Jonas’ mastery of the instruments – which happens to be all the fucking instruments – is second to none and the musical landscape he paints for Eric Holmberg to roar his way through, is one that is as starkly beautiful to the ear as a Caspar David Friedrich is to the eye, while managing to balance it with a vein of fury so raw that you can almost see it pulsate deep within the heart of Svartsyn.
There is nothing about this EP I do not like. Even the fact that the whole thing clocks in at 25 minutes plus change, which can at times be a warning sign that the artist involved is being self indulgent, doesn’t come into play here. Each of the four tracks on offer run the lengths that they do because that is exactly how long they need to be, and no more. Hell, if I have any complaints about Svartsyn is that it isn’t long enough – and trust me, that is something I rarely say about an EP – because when it is over you find yourself craving more.
Svartsyn by Mylingen is an incredible piece of work, it really is, and I cannot emphasise enough that if you are a regular reader of the Black Metal Archives then you need this in your collection, sooner rather than latter.
Head on over to the Mylingen Bandcamp page and check out Svartsyn for yourself.
