Review MISSION IN BLACK ‘Profit Reigns Supreme’

There are a few hometown feelings that arise when listening to the new Mission In Black album. This has less to do with the musical direction of the band than with the geographic origin of the five-piece. Mission In Black come from Heidenheim an der Brenz, a very familiar town on the Swabian Alb. After this small detour in terms of content, however, back to the music.

Mission In Black have been active since 2010 and debuted in 2018 with ‘Anthems of a Dying Breed’. There was a small push for the band in 2019 when frontwoman Steffi Stuber made an appearance on The Voice of Germany and woke up the audience with Lamb Of God’s ‘Ghost Walking’. After that little sidestep, Mission In Black got back to work on the new album. Named ‘Profit Reigns Supreme’, it will be available in record stores from mid-May.

Mission In Black combine melodic power metal with thrash metal and growls. The whole concept can be seen as if Arch Enemey would constantly add some clean vocal parts. On the one hand the deep growls of Stuber remind of Alissa White-Gluz while the melodic moments have a completely different charisma. The fact that these two elements go well together has been shown several times in history. So in this regard Mission In Black have not developed anything new. Nevertheless, the blend works quite well for the Swabians and one feels well entertained.

The ones who wants to get an impression regarding the sound of the band should listen to a song like ‘What Does It Take tob e Alive’. Everything that makes up the sound of the band is featured in this song.

Overall ‘Profit Reigns Supreme’ has a good flow which includes the interlude ‘Silence of a Distant Sky’. Even though each song sounds very good in itself, the record as a whole could have benefited from a bit more variety. The band’s musical formula is quite appealing and a few extra adaptations would have increased the listening excitement. Otherwise, Mission In Black offer the full range of metal and that you can headbang to these songs with full passion is undoubted.