Metal Underground.com

Disarmonia Mundi is a strange case. Despite possessing a devastating sound that closely resembles that of Soilwork meets In Flames, a severely unstable lineup has rendered the band unknown to many, notwithstanding the fact that without help they can’t really play a live show. It’s a real shame, as Disarmonia Mundi is a band every metal fan needs to know about.

First things first, this album sounds a lot like Soilwork because it is, in part, Soilwork. Frontman Bjorn “Speed” Strid shares duties with both bands, and he has blessed Disarmonia Mundi’s new album, “Mind Tricks,” with his trademark melodies, which are second to no one. Speed’s remarkable vocals are matched by the talents of Ettore Rigotti, who basically plays every instrument on the album and even lends some vocals. Also joining in is Claudio Ravinale, who adds vocals of all sorts. That’s it—basically a one man band with the help of one of the world’s best frontmen.

The album’s feature track, “Celestial Furnace,” is simply astounding. Its tri-layered vocals are arranged with growling and screaming verses leading into a beautiful trademark melodic Speed chorus. While "Celestial Furnace" takes the listener to a high that is unmatched on the album, most of the songs deliver. The following track, “Nihilistic Overdrive,” again shows of the diversity of Disarmonia Mundi, with scorching vocals running into Speed’s melodies, and "Process of Annehilation" follows a similar formula with fantastic results . Furthermore, tracks like “Liquid Wings” flaunt the band’s ability to wrap up elements of so many genres into one song, with black metal-type screams, melodic pieces, and even some power-metal guitar riffage.

This is melodic metal at its finest, putting a lot of better know genre acts to shame. “Celestial Furnace” is such a powerhouse song that it in itself warrants the pursuit of “Mind Tricks,” but the complete package should leave any well-rounded metal fan satisfied. Here’s hoping that Disarmonia Mundi gains some stability and, with that, some popularity.