Mysterium II

Fall 2022 sees Dutch Doom pioneers Celestial Season release their second full-length album entitled ‘Mysterium II’, as part of the Mysterium trilogy. ‘Mysterium I’. The first of a trilogy, saw its release in the spring on 2022 and received raving re-views putting the band back into the position as masters of the doom/death genre. ‘Mysterium III’ will follow and see its release mid 2023. ‘Mysterium II’ dives into the more funeral and melancholic side of Celestial Season, songs which are reminiscent of their 1994 demo leading up to the ’95 classic ‘Solar Lovers’, with focus on long violin and cello interludes woven in with the signature Celestial twin guitar melodies. ‘Mysterium II’ will be released on CD via Burning World Records. Vinyl will be released as soon as the manufacturing process allows. Chronology Celestial Season officially founded in 1991, but the original talks about forming a doom band proba-bly started around mid/late 1990. Inspired by the second wave of Doom bands like Saint Vitus, Ca-thedral and Trouble, but also bands the like of Sisters Of Mercy and Dead Can Dance. Celestial Season released its debut album ‘Forever Scarlet Passion’ in 1993, and then its acclaimed ’Solar Lovers’ second album in 1995. After substantial line up changes and genre flirtations, 25 years onwards to 2020, Celestial Season reformed in its ‘Doom Era’ set up, recording waht was set to be the tribute to the ‘Solar Lovers’ release with a new album called ‘The Secret Teachings’. The seeds of this new album had been growing for many years, and there where several reasons to complete the full cycle. A mix of the ‘Forever Scarlet Passion’ line up and ‘Solar Lovers’ line up re-grouped to create what we’re calling the ‘Doom Era’ line up; with Stefan Ruiters back on vocals, Lucas van Slegtenhorst on bass, Olly Smit and Pim van Zanen on guitars, Jason Köhnen on drums and Jiska Ter Bals back on violin. Elianne Anemaat on cello back on the line up after her taking part in the 2011 reunion. Burning World Records will be releasing ‘Mysterium II’, which will be an addition to our mutual collaboration along with the previously re-released: ‘Forever Scarlet Passion’ and ‘Solar Lovers’ and the 2020 release of ‘The Secret Teachings’.

Tom Fordham reviews the new album from death-doomers Celestial Season! Read the review of 'Mysterium II' here on Distorted Sound!

A review of Mysterium II by Celestial Season, available worldwide December 2nd via Burning World Records.