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Nov 16, 20223 min read

Miseration - The Mirroring Shadow (2009)

FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…



On November 16, 2009, Miseration released their sophomore full-length studio album The Mirroring Shadow in Europe via Lifeforce Records (January 19, 2010 in North America).


The album was recorded at Panic Room Studios in Skara, Sweden between June and September, 2009. It was produced and mastered by Thomas "Plec" Johansson with co-production and engineering by Jani Stefanović & Christian Älvestam. The albums cover art was created by Pär Olofsson (Immolation, Revocation, Immortal, The Faceless, Winds of Plague).



During the albums post-production, the band made this statement;

"After a few months of intense work we are happy to announce that our new album, The Mirroring Shadow, is now finally recorded and done. We are really proud of what we have accomplished this time and we can't wait to share this newborn baby with you all! Musically it's definitely a step up, intensity- and aggression-wise; also being more technical than its predecessor. Even so, there are still a lot of melodic landscapes there to explore. Put together, this progression both came and felt very natural to us, once the new material started to take shape.
Sound-wise, producer Tomas 'Plec"' Johansson has really outdone himself on this one, giving the music a production environment to die for! Crushingly pounding, yet crystal clear! A big thanks also to Stefan and Lifeforce Records for being patient, understanding and for backing us up, in the hour of need! It will not be forgotten! Last, but not least, hats off to Pär Johansson, for his brilliant lyrical contribution and to Pär Olofsson, for an album artwork worthy of praise. Your exquisite work made all the difference! In all, we are very proud and happy with the outcome of our efforts, that is The Mirroring Shadow!" — Miseration to metalunderground.com

Album Overview:

Following their critically acclaimed 2008 debut album Your Demons, Their Angels, Miseration are more focused on the brutal side of Death Metal. There are still strong hook-lines and a lot of melodic riffs, but The Mirroring Shadow is driven by a vicious and extreme attitude and untamed aggression. This is the sound Sweden became known for in the early 90s and Miseration are fully aware of their responsibilities in upholding the true nature of that sound.


Miseration’s second album proves that they have the foresight for creating new and brutal Metal while being conscious of Metal’s fine traditions at the same time. This is how contemporary Death Metal should sound today and in the future.


If you are into fast and aggressive Metal with an authentic and pure vibe, The Mirroring Shadow is exactly the album you’ve been searching for. Miseration take no prisoners by combining the best elements of Brutal, Technical Death Metal ala Suffocation, Hate Eternal and Psycroptic while paying homage to Scandinavian Death Metal in the vein of Bloodbath and early Entombed. Former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam and guitarist Jani Stefanovic (Essence of Sorrow / The Weakening), who founded Miseration together, have the experience and abilities to create a harsh, uncompromising style of Metal which will not go unnoticed.



Critical Reception:

In a review for NO CLEAN SINGING, Islander stated;

“…at its core this is groove-oriented Death Metal, and Miseration marries infectious, galloping, headbanging riffs, occasional clean guitar solos, and even old-school breakdowns with the wash of tremolo-picked Black Metal. To emphasize the heavy grooves, Miseration opted for a very clean, crisp production. Layer on top of this overall stylistic design Älvestam’s varied but always brutal vocals, and you’ve got an attack that’s both crushingly powerful and memorable in its variety.”

While in his review for yourlastrites.com, Ross Main stated;

“Whilst “The Mirroring Shadow” may be more consistently aggressive than its predecessor, the intensity retained from start to finish is not at all dictated by tempo. In fact, Miseration’s effect is strongest in those towering, steam-powered, fortresses like “Imago 2.0” and “The Mirroring Shadow”. With piston-like choruses that churn on over the rails of a paced double kick and the sprayed expulsions of demonic guitar progressions, these slower (note: slow-er) tracks have the breathing space to expand an atmosphere of dread and fury that is addictive, consuming and a fairly explicit depiction of what the word “miseration” might represent.”

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells



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