The Skorian // The Greyleer Review (guest entry)

Words by Jason Kiss

Preface 

It is evident that the new Mefitis release, The Skorian // The Greyleer, has faltered in terms of gaining underground traction. Despite the promotional machinery of Earsplit Compound and the substantial backing of Profound Lore Records, the Spotify listenership remains very meager, reviews are scarce, and I cannot help but apprehend that this review might be perceived as an act of reproach toward a release already fraught with underperformance. Such an impression, however, is far from my intention. Given the considerable backing of a distinguished record label and a respected PR firm, I had anticipated The Skorian // The Greyleer to surpass the reception of previous Mefitis releases. It is therefore with this context in mind that I wish to preface my analysis by emphasizing that the opinions herein are offered solely as my own, intended not as sheer condemnation, but as an assessment of the work at hand. 

In 2021, I reviewed their previous release, Offscourings, at No Clean Singing[i], back when the buzz circling around the band was overwhelmingly positive, and although the album did not resonate with me on a personal level, I nevertheless wrote a favorable review. I could not help but admire their exceptional approach to song structure; their riff alignment standing in stark contrast to the standard rock format of verse-chorus repetition, a formula that has unfortunately seeped into much of extreme metal, as well as the incoherent “riff salad” approach favored by countless other bands; indeed, the intelligence with which Mefitis arranges their riffs is commendable, yet I could not escape the sense that this was their only true strength. The actual content of the riffs and melodies lacked any distinctive quality that might elevate their work beyond mere cognitive exercise. This left the expression of Offscourings as intellectually intriguing but ultimately inert. 

It is striking that Shelley’s review of The Skorian // The Greyleer here on Hate Meditations scarcely contains a meaningful word about the music. In the face of this omission, he saw fit to grade the album as a 90% (an A, if only a marginal one) on Metal Archives[ii]. The few substantive descriptors he did provide, such as “ponderous chromaticism,” “tonal ambiguity,” and that the music is “dense,” left his review of the music largely undeveloped. Instead of telling the reader what the music even sounds like, the direction of his review gravitated toward the metacontextual, putting the intellectual scaffolding of the work on a pedestal instead of delving into the musical content itself. 

The Music of The Skorian // The Greyleer 

Shelley’s observation that the music is “dense” is indeed correct. This work is an amalgamation of various metal motifs and, like progressive music, abandons conventional refrains in favor of a ceaselessly evolving riff structure. Building upon their previous efforts, Mefitis now intensifies their focus on micro-riffs, those intricate, meandering scales, some of which are diatonic, contrary to Shelley’s claim of “ponderous chromaticism.” In most bands, these might function as mere decorative flourishes, insubstantial embellishments, but here they are thrust flagrantly into the foreground as the principal source of expression, at times manifesting even in pronounced basslines, while chords are frequently, but not always, relegated to a secondary, homophonic role. 

This relentless emphasis on such flourishes, often with slight modulations and variations in their final measures to boost the melodrama, creates a devastatingly cluttered soundscape. The issue is compounded by the vocals, which oscillate uncomfortably between excessively sentimental clean passages and Mefitis’ usual black metal rasps. This all leads to congestion so thick and impenetrable that even the most potent dose of Mucinex can’t remedy it. 

The second half of the double EP, The Greyleer, offers slightly more breathing room, but to call it simply “too busy” would be an understatement of the highest order. The compositions still lack grounding, offering neither a sense of power nor stability to the music. Instead, they unfurl as an unbroken procession of dark, noodling meanderings, with the vocals growing increasingly grating with each passing measure. Although the lead guitar does offer some flashes of notable soloing, it struggles in vain to rise above the sprawling musical landfill that Mefitis forces the listener to trudge through. 

In comparison to other bands, Mefitis occupies a space somewhere between the avant-garde formlessness of Howls of Ebb, the eccentricity of Devin Townsend, the incoherence of post-Emperor Ihsahn, and the superficiality of later Abigor, the latter of whom share the closest proximity to the texture Mefitis operates in. In the end, the result is a thoroughly draining listening experience; technically impressive, yes, but even with its complexity and density, it becomes a deeply alienating encounter, where not a single riff feels truly inspired. 

Faux-Alterity: Outside the Outside 

After extending Mefitis a great deal of grace and patience, it is now time to confront the unavoidable reality: they are not truly “Other,” nor do they embody the discontentment of those who stand apart from the mediocrity that has come to pervade extreme metal. Despite their self-fashioned image as musicians of refined taste, their music unravels this posturing for what it is: an illusion, a veneer of sophistication that fails to conceal its hollowness. Mefitis, rather than offering a genuine, outsider perspective, presents instead an empty simulation of it, a simulacrum that imitates profundity without ever touching it. 

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[i] Jason’s 2021 review of Offscourings on No Clean Singing: https://www.nocleansinging.com/2021/01/27/mefitis-offscourings/

[ii] Shelley’s review of The Skorian // The Greyleer on Metal Archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Mefitis/The_Skorian_–_The_Greyleer/1276741/we_hope_you_die/264381