Malsten – The Haunting of Silvåkra Mill – Rites of Passage
Release Date: 15th March 2024
Label: Svart Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Horror Doom.
FFO: Argus, Wytch Ghost, Eternal Black, Candlemass.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Sweden’s Malsten come rumbling from the most desolate and dark places to bring us the second part of their epic story, The Haunting of Silvåkra Mill-Rites of Passage. In 2020, they first introduced us to this most fiendish tale about the happenings in the Silvåkra Mill. Chapters I-IV introduce listeners to a foul, ancient presence in the mill that takes over a man and drives him to inflict suffering upon his village. Locals turn up missing, the community is terrified, and the tormented miller grinds the bodies of his victims into dust. The local vicar, a man of most holy devotion, must face the horror of the mill in order to preserve the well-being of his parishioners. Rites of Passage, chapters V-X, continues the vicar’s quest not only to face the demonic forces at work, but also to contend with the darkness in himself. The concept is interesting and harkens back to old folklore and campfire tales that make one feel uneasy, yet curious to hear more.
Conceptually, this is an impressive work, but does it doom? Hell yes, it does. Plenty of slow, churning riffs carry forth this tale of haunting despair. This album may not have many tracks, but what is here is of substance. In good doom fashion, most of the tracks are around 9–10 minutes long, but Malsten does an amazing job of keeping things from being boring and monotonous. Fuzzy and foreboding, the album truly is as heavy as a crushing hammer to the skull. At times this work becomes so oppressive that listeners will feel like all hope is gone, yet the vocals are gorgeous and light, much like a flame in the cursed darkness. Laurenti Berth is a track worth highlighting; not only is it the perfect end to this work, but it also pulls together the various elements that make Malsten shine. Starting with soft guitar and percussion, there is a slow burn until the explosion of layers of sound. Simply fantastic.
Overall, the concept presented in this album is reminiscent of the storytelling of King Diamond. I suspect Malsten could create some live theatrical performances around this work, or even commission someone to create a graphic novel based on this tale. If I had artistic skills, I would offer up my service to make that happen, but maybe someone out there can take up the cause. In the meantime, though, set aside some time to listen to The Haunting of Silvåkra Mill-Rites of Passage in its entirety; you won’t regret it. 
(4.5 / 5)
