Since their formation in 2016, Mimorium have staunchly stuck to their guns as purveyors of classic cryogenic black metal forever frozen in the glorious '90s. Although they hail from Finland, Mimorium's sound more properly could be categorized as Scandinavian black metal, as they are rooted deeply in the '90s Swedish and also Norwegian black metal scenes. One can one hear echoes of old Dissection, Mörk Gryning, and Dark Funeral in Mimorium's fast-paced and melodic black metal as a successful tribute brought to the new millennium, still sounding very much their own and something different simultaneously.
The quintet return with a record perhaps more melodic, dramatic, AND aggressive than ever: The Route of Haeresis. Suitably built upon a theme of old-school witchcraft and esoteric teachings, The Route of Haeresis sees Mimorium firing on all cylinders, their (literal) execution just as sharp as ever but rendered in rippingly clear-yet-analog tones. That more organic production takes nothing away from the band's inherent ultraviolence - indeed, their OTT speed is challenged by few - but the melodies here breathe fire instead of frost, and the well-timed dips into down-tempo convey a grandeur only previously hinted at.
For those into the scrappier, culter names of '90s melodic black metal - Cirith Gorgor, Thy Primordial, Raise Hell, or even the too-often-overlooked Setherial - over the more obvious ones, you shall meet your unholy saviors with Mimorium as they travel The Route of Haeresis!
Hailing from eastern Finland, Mimorium gives us listeners a very solid dose of black metal on "The Route of Haeresis". The influences here are obvious, Mimorium does things in the vein of Dark Funeral and Marduk. The style is very Swedish, so there is no typically Finnish sound to be found here. So is there something new and innovative? No. Is it poorly done? Definitely not. This is one of those albums that manage to be pretty good without bringing absolutely nothing new to the table. One can also view it as a nostalgia trip to old days of aggressive and unrelenting Swedish black metal.
Things kick off furiously with "The Invocation of the Nameless One", giving a blistering pace and plenty of aggression. No intros or setting the mood, Mimorium goes full speed right off the bat. The material is well thought out and the album is paced well. It gives those much needed breaks from relentless blasting too. And speaking of blasting, the drumming here deserves a special mention. There definitely is speed, but also nuances in Vilthor's work. The string instruments rely on typical tremolo picking, occasionally descending into heavier waters. The vocals are also well executed, while not extremely original. Vox Malum performs very traditional, sinister shrieking with some growls thrown in every now and then for flavour. Quite reminiscent of Legion-era Marduk.
"The Route of Haeresis" is not a very melodic album, but when it steps on more melodic territory, it is memorable. "Mirror Dimension" is especially worth mentioning is this regard. It is the strongest track on the album too. The production is good for this style of black metal, clean enough for these fast speeds but not sounding overproduced.
Now, there are some gripes here too. Things get ever so slightly muddled occasionally, with some tracks lacking memorability. This is the case with some of the faster numbers, such as "Liberate the Transcendent Essence". Well placed atmospheric parts help massively in "The Hand of the Heretic" and the title track, which would otherwise lack distinct identity. Lyrically things are not too impressive but I am not cringing either. The lyrics are quite like the music itself, blunt and straight to the point. Apart from some rare clearly unintended goofiness, there are no major complaints from me in that regard.
Overall, if you enjoy non-experimental and aggressive black metal with a slightly melodic touch, "The Route of Haeresis" is a good album to listen to.
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