Khors – Mysticism
Khors are a "black metal" band from Ukraine formed in 2004 and, even if they are still not well known to many of us, this Mysticism is their official third album. Why the commas over the definition of black metal? Well because it's quite hard to talk about the influences of these guys but I can say that the first band I had in mind during the listen was the mighty In The Woods. Who knows this name will understand perfectly the sound of Khors: not a classic raw and infernal black metal, but a dream travel through melodies, atmospheres and suggestions, recalls to bands like Pink Floyd or King Crimson, progressive parenthesis, ethnic touches, epic and pagan feelings and a little dose of brutality that probably is the only connection with what we usually call "extreme music". Personally I can say that I was a big fan of bands like In The Woods, Ved Buens Ende and Arcturus, brave musicians and free minds, and that because of this I've enjoyed an album that sounds melancholic, dark and reflexive without being uselessly gothic and boring as many other releases around. Nice surprise.