The Mire are a band from the UK that play a form of post-metal that’s similar to their brethren in Devil Sold His Soul. With their second album on Eyes of Sound records, The Mire have a created an album that is emotionally direct yet progressive and intelligent.

The album opens with a short but sweet song called “The Nobleman,” which is a soothing piece that serves as a great intro to this album. The song starts out with somber piano chords until the acoustic guitars slowly integrate themselves cohesively. Before the listener is struck and thrown into a state of awe as the clean vocals drift and swell through the listener’s ears. Powerful and inspiring are the words that best describe this song and it’s still only the intro.

The first full song on the album “Shadows” is a five and a half minute jam that is truly hypnotic and moving. The song opens with soft ambience before throaty vocals emerge over hefty riffage. The album as one will notice is neither heavy nor soft. They are their own entity moving at a brisk pace and constantly changing direction. Clean vocals flutter the air over quickly picked guitar strings and constant shifting drum patterns. The song comes to an end with a brilliant and satisfying solo.

The songs flow with the listener; constantly drenching one amidst emotional back drops and heart wrenching ambience. “The Rift” has the band incorporating Meshuggah like riffs over throaty yells and well placed clean vocals. Taking those riffs the band manages to mix in a southern drawl, which closes out the song.

Instrumental “Curse Variations” is a dynamic piano based song that is emotionally intense. Over the piano is a violin that sounds magnificent and deeply mesmerizing. A venture into classical territory before the band picks up the pace with “Wheelwalker.” Taking a different turn they add modern sludge and heavy dirges with some haunting and melodic harmonies. The vocals hum and caress the listener as they are carefully torn apart with thick and meaty riffs.

Album closer “Fears” begins with the sludge sound from “Wheelwalker” but slowly ends up taking a different route. Adding an almost Pink Floyd layer of sound with monumental riffs and layers of clean vocal harmonies The Mire managed to make one of the most enthralling and captivating songs I have heard in awhile. An airy almost ghostly gentleness that instantly grabs the listener by the heart and stays forever embedded in our minds.

This album is breathtaking and is an impressive work of art. A truly remarkable experience that needs everyone’s undivided attention.

[Visit the band's website]

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