Rating: ****
I'll be honest, I don't know much about the mysterious Australian project, The Mirrorstone.
This ended up in my inbox and the cover art seemed pretty cool. I started doing some research and I honestly couldn't find much on the internet. Just that this album titled "Rukma Vimana" was available most places that music can be found nowadays.
Their brief bio on the Facebook page says that this album is a mix of metal and industrial music. That's intriguing as I quite fancy that mix.
I guess to find out more, I'm gonna have to listen to it with my headphones cranked to 11 in this crowded desert cafe.
Click here to listen to "Rukma Vimana" in it's entirety on Spotify:
"Planet Beyond the Mirrorstone" starts us off. Musically it sounds like Yes if they were really into Dungeons and Dragons. It's dramatic and epic and sets the scene for "Battlefield", which happens to be track two. "Battlefield" throws us headlong into electronic and industrial beats. A far cry from the prog-rock vibe of the opening track. It reminds me of early Nine Inch Nails with very strong vocals and a haunting pop-industrial feel. "Torana Child" sounds like a single. Super catch as far as this genre of music goes. A remarkably strong chorus that is well-sung. I hear a little Maynard James Keenan in these vocals. I dig that. Really strong. "Num1Sun" is next and it continues the strong melodies on this one. So catchy for this type of music. "Salvador" is track five and I'll be goddamned if this one doesn't remind me of Trent Reznor at his absolute best. I'm digging this album a lot. "For You (For Them)" changes things up a bit thematically. A little more folksy in nature, but it's also a good look for them. Different, but good. "Misery Embassy" is punky and electronic and honestly not my favorite track on the album. That's followed up with "I'll Be" which again sounds a bit dated. We've reached a bit of a slow spot, but that's to be expected on a 16-track album. "The Wicked Lover" and "The Entity" get us back on track with back-to-back blistering industrial pop music. This second half of the album is almost drifting into Placebo territory, and I really like it. "I'd Rather Mourn" again find The Mirrorstone flexing its Placebo muscle. Another rock solid track. "Where the Sun Goes" is slower tempo and almost a folk song. Diversity showing hard here. We are really back on track after the two rough spots in the middle. "Selfish" might be the strongest track on the album and most certainly should be released as a single as it's the most radio-friendly tune on the entire disc. Title track "Rukma Vimana" is NIN-esque and another pop-friendly number with perhaps my favorite drums on the LP. "Our Home" and the finale "Space Voyage" are both a lot more house-y than the rest of the album but it works. Sounds slightly out-of-place, but it does manage to work.
I can't help but feel this is a ****1/2 to ***** album if it's condensed into 12 tracks. That said, it's still a damn good record from a damn mysterious act. I have a feeling the more people hear this, the less out-of-the-public eye The Mirrorstone will be. Really great album.