Review MISSION IN BLACK “Divinity of Lies”

Mission In Black is one of the most underrated metal bands from Germany. Founded in 2010, the band released their debut album, “Anthems of a Dying Breed”, in 2018, following the release of an EP in 2012. This EP, titled “Black Infect” brought the band to the attention of El Puerto Records.

Three years after releasing their second album, “Profit Reigns Supreme”, Mission in Black have returned with their latest studio effort, “Divinity of Lies”. The artwork is reminiscent of Arch Enemy‘s “Deceiver” album. Musically, there are also a few parallels, as Mission In Black focus on female-fronted death metal with a solid dose of melody, a formula for success.

While they are not reinventing the genre, Mission in Black deliver a solid new album, with Steffi Stuber’s vocal range being an important element. “Rise”, the lead single, exemplifies this perfectly. The song follows the intro, “Pulse of the Awakening”. This sinister and dark introduction to the album paves the way for the first blasting moment of “Rise”. The song builds on the atmosphere of the intro while showcasing a notable shift in intensity. Stuber’s vocals and the melodic guitar riffs provide the foundation for this thunderous start to the album.

The title track begins with a chiming bell before the guitars take over completely, turning the song into a relentless death metal beast. An important asset of the song is Stuber’s versatile vocals, as she jumps between deep growls, hoarse screams, and clean vocals with ease.

“World of Demise” begins rather sombrely, before the song gains intensity while maintaining the sinister and gloomy vibe.

A ballad isn’t the most common choice for a death metal band, but Mission In Black take on the challenge and deliver a rather soulful moment with “Fighter”, which is characterised by clean vocals. The heaviness comes to the fore more in the second half, turning “Fighter” into a melodic power ballad with various facets. The pulsating “As Mountains High and Oceans Deep” showcases relentless heaviness, driven by grooving elements. We are now approaching the end, which is an instrumental outro. “Ember” is a two-minute instrumental. It provides a cinematic ending to the album, like the calm after the storm.

“Divinity of Lies” is Mission in Black’s third strike, showcasing a band that is still on a mission. While their melodic death metal may not be the most innovative interpretation of the genre, the band’s excellent craftsmanship enables them to produce powerful, well-crafted metal tracks. The album is entertaining to listen to, and Stuber’s vocal range is a delight. “Divinity of Lies” is a solid melodic death metal release that fans of bands such as Arch Enemy and Soilwork should check out.