Mausoleum Gate is a pleasant Finnish surprise I recently came across. They have two prior albums and an EP. Space, Rituals and Magick continues their brand of metal, which combines the very early metal sounds from the 70s and early 80s. Think bands like Black Sabbath/Ozzy, Angelwitch, Mercyful Fate and Iron Maiden. Hell, even The Doors in some sections. They have some modern-day leanings that are similar to bands such as Spellbook/Witch Hazel. The use of keyboards throughout their career really transports the listener to the 70s.

The band consists of: Count LaFey – Guitars, Wicked Ischanius – Keyboards, Oskari Räsänen – Drums, Jarno Koskell- Bass, Jari Kourunen – Guitars , and Jarno Saarinen Vocals. The band’s second album, Into a Dark Divinity, was released in 2017, so since then the newcomers are the singer, bassist and second guitarist Jari. They all add their own flair, and their sound remains intact with new singer Jarno Saarinen, having one helluva set of pipes.

“Vision Divine” starts the album with those keys, and it’s so incredibly catchy. Jarno’s vocals have a strong Ozzy vibe, which is A OK with this guy. He has a very similar tone. The chorus: “I see you – demon of the dark night. I see you – sister of the moonglide. I see you – demon of the dark night sister of the moonglide. I see a vision divine”, is truly wonderful and shows the banner of heavy metal is strong among these smaller acts. They know how to write memorable and catchy moments, just like all the legendary acts. There is quite a neat drum solo towards the end of this song, and the main guitar riff, throughout this song, makes this one of the best song openers I have heard in some years.

“Lucifer Shrine” is a great song title and continues the catchiness from the previous tune. There is a grandiosity to this song, calling to mind Ghost, who are a pretty big influence on Mausoleum Gate, but think older Ghost, the first three albums. Picture the way the chorus would hit, catchy riffs, and then the keys hit with the vocals. When Ghost does this live, the lights light up in a big spectacle. That’s what we have going on here, and it’s terrific. Around the four-minute mark, get ready for the keyboard solo. It’s awesome. That’s where The Doors’ influence comes in, since this act has the keys mimicking an organ. The chorus is catchy, and this song is just amazing.

The album is six songs in like 38 minutes. It’s how all their albums are, with not a lot of songs, but they pack in the punch. “Witches Circle” is eight minutes and closes the album out. This ending song has a doomy opening, which is very catchy, and then it becomes softer. The isolated vocals are depressive as he sings the song title a few times, along with the other lyrics. The tone is catchy during this softer moment, which lasts several minutes. As the music gets louder, we are greeted with an instrumental reprise that takes us to the end. The instrumentation is super catchy and has a lounge music vibe, as the vocals return, in more of a whispered fashion, and the song trails off.

Mausoleum Gate is an incredible band, and Space, Rituals and Magick, in many ways, for me, is a magical heavy metal album. The album has the hooks, catchiness, production value,s and everything you want in a heavy metal album. All their album covers have similar designs and colors, and have a psychedelic vibe. This band rocks!!!

[Visit the band's website]

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