IN A MIRROR DARKLY

Third album with new material ("Intersections" excluded as it consists of re-recordings) for Mekong Delta since their revival and second release with almost the same line-up for SPV. Zimniak is missing compared to "Wanderers on the Edge of Time" and "Intersections" and the band is left with one guitar player. In some ways, their 11th studio album comes out as a blend of the 2007 and 2010 releases in that it marries the raw power and the extreme of the former with the more refined, melodic character of the second. A marked improvement, especially compared to "Lurking Fear", is the powerful, mature production.

Apart from that, "In a Mirror Darkly" is what you would call a typical Mekong Delta album, with plenty of their signature tech-thrash (e.g. The Armageddon Machine), a couple of impressive, varied instrumentals with the welcome inclusion of acoustic guitars and classical interludes, and a few (not surprisingly!) deviations to more atmospheric, mid-tempo structures ("The Silver in Gods Eye"). Lemar seems to have glued well with the style of the band and his vocal performance is at times impressive. The characteristic dissonant chords dominate the length of the album and it is fair to say that the melodic aspect has taken a step back, although Hubert does not seem to deviate too much from the classic Mekong Delta song-writing.

I am not sure how many riffs they can fit in 46 minutes, but the trained progressive metal listener and/or Mekong Delta fan will surely not be disappointed from the plethora of structures. What I feel the album might be lacking is the grandiose of the "Wanderer..." album, the quirky melodies, that could have made this just a little bit more special. As it stands, it is another solid release from Mekong Delta, worthy of its legacy. 3.5 stars.

Best moments: Ouverture, Inside the Outside of the Inside, Hindsight Bias

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