Vestiges Engraved In Frozen Mysticism History is the 4th full-length album from German/ Chilean raw black metal band Mantiel. The seven-track affair brings together lo-fi glamouring grimness and bleak battering’s, with buried traces of forlorn majestic melody & glum disquiet.

Mantiel or Mánþiel are a three-piece project, bringing together members from both  Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Valdivia, Los Ríos, Chile. With the present line-up taking in Lord Pzallnichtheim, Lord Wällenrunen, and Lord Valtgryftåke- only the third member is ever credited with playing anything guitar & vocals. The band formed in 2018, with their first release being the cassette demo Luminous Emissions on the Graveless Entities (Mahamvantara Arts Records).  I had rather enjoyed the band's tracks on the split release they did with Wampyric Rites  Ensomhet (Shattered Memories From A Distant Past)- also on Inferna Profundus Records, so of course I had to check out this full length- and I’m happy to report the album still features 'outside artists goes BM' vibe that impressed me on the split.

The seven tracks featured- six originals & one cover- have runtimes between one and seven minutes, with an album full runtime of 39.36. On the first half/ side of the album move from “Anoited in Astral Luminescence” with its sinister squalling ‘n’ simmering lead riff,  loosely galloping drum work, and buried gruff wails. Onto clean-yet- wonky guitar ‘n’ bass shambling’s of “Wisdom of the Ancients”, which summons up images of wandering in a dazed state through dusk lit &  decaying leaves strewn graveyards. In the second half/ side we go from bounding grim riff craft meets baying vocal shred, and bluntly slugging drums of “Calleth... A Twofold Dark Legions”. Though to the short outro track “Memories of Majestic Ruins” which its glumly clean-hazed reverb guitar churns.

Vestiges Engraved In Frozen Mysticism History is a raw Black metal release that sits well between galloping grimness & ancient forlornness.  And I certainly look forward to hearing more work from Mantiel down the line.