Thy Only Forgotten
Mythos Daemonium
7.9
Hail Mexico!
My mistake...hail Chicago!
HAIL MEXAGO!!
Thy Only Forgotten are the latest breath of diseased air to blow into The Windy City from Mexico via storms roused by the wings of Pazuzu. Originally formed back in '93 by former Cenotaph-ian, Roberto Valle, this project has been laying dormant beneath the sands with nary a whisper for many, many years. But the idol has been re-discovered! Dug up from its gritty tomb to conjure pestilential blackened metal sickness to the masses at hand; so, breathe deep!
Immediate similarities will likely be drawn to Roberto's brothers in harm, The Chasm, as the two not only share root and record label, but members as well (Antonio Leon on drums and Daniel Corchado twisting knobs and adding key-driven atmospherics). In truth, the similarities between projects lie mostly in the fact that both bands place emphasis on amplifying an intoxicating atmosphere without much regard to adhering to a particular label -- swirling extreme metal that's fit to trip and trek amongst impure spirits. Thy Only Forgotten also employ a similar vocal style that suits the climate perfectly with loads of suffering rasps howled and groused from a priest bent toward The Black. Concurrence ends there, however, with The Chasm exorcising its demons through much heavier use of riffs-Riffs!-RIFFS!!! Comparisons have also been made to the melodic, mid-paced fare of early Dissection and Slaughtersun era Dawn, which I'd say is mildly just, but this record sounds much more primordial with more attention focused on smoky flow.
The pace of Mythos Daemonium is by and large surprisingly slow, so those looking for a more angular, cutting affair will likely need to pass. The opening title track, alongside "Dusk of Necro" and "The Fiend In the Abyss", all maintain a slow plod twirled with the creeping tendrils of melodic guitar morsels to embellish the brooding mood. "Of Eternal Tolls", "The Rise and Fall of Millenniums" and savory closer, "Dark Angel of the Four Winds" zing the formula with specks of fierceness and added bouts of galloping through gruff riffing, but still manage to perpetuate the tragic feel of the record as a whole.
Blemishes here are few, but I'd love to hear the next recording expand on the melodic soloing and cut back on the rather anticlimactic fade-outs. One or two more songs to push the conjuration beyond the 40-minute mark would also be nice, but these are mere quibbles from an old crank.
Mythos Daemonium is a record I'd be comfortable recommending to any adventurous metal traveler who enjoys a platter abundant with grievous, melodic hymns praising the arcane. If this is any indication of the quality of metal in store for us in 2010, it oughta be another banner year.
