Band:	Wildernessking
Album:	Mystical Future
Style:	Progressive black metal
Release date:	February 2016

01. White Horses
02. I Will Go To Your Tomb
03. To Transcend
04. With Arms Like Wands
05. If You Leave

After years of keeping the tension high with promising EPs, Wildernessking finally enlighten our new year with their long awaited second full-length, entitled Mystical Future. The South African gang amazed me back in the year 2012 when I did one of my very first official reviews here and just like me (insert stupidly grinning face here), they stay true to their roots. Because outside my cosmos they are probably not as big as Metallica or Iron Maiden, let it be said that Wildernessking play a modern, progressive style of black metal, atmospheric, yet technically demanding.

Mystical Future features five songs, one of which has been garnished with quite an unusual video. The music is mainly mid-tempo based and riff-laden, changing tempo and key here and there while not ruining the main vibe of each song. Harmonies blend in with faster parts, rhythms carry the music through slower parts and many things in-between can be discovered. The most interesting aspects of Mystical Future are the calm song "To Transcend" and the implementation of female vocals on "If You Leave". In general there are no weak songs or fillers on Mystical Future, but a very good level of musicianship and songwriting is maintained throughout the album. A remarkable point about the production is that the drums are focused and direct, while all the other instruments and vocals seem further away or in a big hall. This is of course something one has to get used to, but it definitely fits the mood.

It appears that the main idea behind Wildernessking is the band itself, as it definitely sounds like some guys having fun while jamming some cool vibes. This groovy attitude, paired with the metal character of the music itself is a combination that can hardly be found among black metal bands. While I don't mind "trve" bands at all, it's like breathing fresh air when finding something like this from time to time. Wildernessking don't play something unique or new, but they do it with pleasure and dedication and that's what makes their music good. Mystical Future is therefore a 'lekker' album, recommended to any fan of good music, whether a friend of black metal or not.