The Hangman Tree

The second album by The Mist is a further evolution for the ambitious band. Where their first recording found itself at a firm middle ground between maniacs of more underground thrash and foot-in-the-door metalheads that need more forthcoming appeal, this, however, leans more towards the latter by hooking in a wider audience. "The Hangman Tree" is at the beginning stages of where thrash would shake off components of its former machinery. When this plays thrash, it is of a more shaved version than you might be accustomed to from a scruffy '80s recording, as at this point it's basically more about concentrating on the moment at hand than hurrying you along. Some of the structure is still here, so the band still pulls out pounding double bass, crunching guitars and a mean faster beat every now and again amongst mostly midpaced delivery.

But this is a mixed bag. Some influences from Maiden can be heard where things can get progressively changed-up: wailing to finger tapped leads, or even melodic by venturing to dual-tracked higher strings. The clean and middle toned bass also peaks out with a fresh litter of rhythms around and in between guitar lines. There's even some keyboard segments with emulated stringed instruments, bells tolling, vocal choruses and some actual keys that come up while the music is playing to build up the moment and sway a little bit of atmosphere.

The vocals are missing out on some of the gruff as they are mostly raspy this time around, like some decrepit being who's sucking in oxygen through a tank, but still sneaking a few cancer sticks to make it that much more closer to losing their voice all together. Due to Korg's particular vocal delivery, it fairs better when he gets a chance to extend his lines, because when he's trying to match an in-and-out riffing style in a few parts it feels off. This is most likely attributed to how he actually pulls it off, like he's doing a straining inhaling motion, and in the quicker parts there's not enough time to recuperate. Also, Korg's vocals need some kind of sound blockage since they're a relic from extreme metal; like some cool looking shades that hinder all those bright lights coming in from the spotless production.

Jairo Guedz took over all guitar playing for "The Hangman Tree" as both former guitarists left. This is a good distance away from how he sounded in early Sepultura where the riffs forcefully went for the jugular each time around. Here they can vary from layered and tempered to aggressive and direct. He can guide your ears with a drifting structure that goes for a mood, as a few electric and acoustic notes seem to float along while the other instruments fill in the crevices. In some areas it can be somewhat complex by weaving together higher strings that resemble progressive tendencies. Others prey on the thicker strings by capturing chug in its talons: occasionally with actual skin penetration, some a little superficial due to this back and forth of light/hard and basic/varied.

"The Hangman Tree" definitely has its own status going for it—it's an unmistakable recording, no doubt about it—as each song takes on a different and evolving journey into this kind of audiogenic enlightenment. A good chunk of this is aimed at being appeasing. Even with all of the experimentation, it's something where its listening demographic is wider, enough to hit bigger record stores if they were around and this was in print, though still not entirely for everybody. Compared to "Phantasmagoria," it is a little too produced, a little too gracious. The band had me locked solid with their debut as it worked in more pushy tendencies, and this is something that I respect for the variety put into it, though I don't put it on as much because the style is overall tamer; even the atmospheric parts only have a layer and aren't enough to truly spook, as they can be more dreamy than nightmarish. Though with everything said, I can still see this album having a following and I'm surprised to have not seen more coveted whispers and enthusiastic shouts in the metal corridors about it.