| With Portal – The Gathering of Storms, The Mist from the Mountains return from the frostbitten Finnish wilds bearing a more ambitious, multifaceted vision of their craft. Building on the melodic and nature-worshipping foundations of their debut, the band now seeks to scale greater peaks—not only in length and grandeur but in emotional and stylistic range.
The most immediate impression is one of scale. These six sprawling compositions stretch beyond conventional song structures, offering epic journeys that often exceed ten minutes. But rather than becoming mired in excess, the band uses this time to explore and contrast moods: brooding melancholy gives way to triumphant fury, soaring clean vocals nestle beside glacial blastbeats, and symphonic interludes flow seamlessly into blistering black metal assaults.
The production is crisp without sacrificing atmosphere, a crucial balance for a band walking the line between aggression and elegance. Tracks like “Among the Black Waves” and “Saiva” stand as highlights, the former weaving in haunting female vocals that echo ancient sorrow, the latter closing the album with a potent blend of power and poignancy that leaves a lasting impression. These moments of quiet introspection are as compelling as the album's most punishing blasts, showcasing a band that understands the power of contrast.
Though the stylistic references to acts like Moonsorrow, Insomnium, and early Amorphis are present, they’re folded into the band’s own tapestry rather than relied upon as a crutch. Yes, Portal occasionally wanders through familiar territory, but there’s a genuine sense of exploration here, and with it, a growing confidence in the band’s identity.
What The Mist from the Mountains deliver with Portal – The Gathering of Storms is not a reinvention of melodic black metal, but a thoughtful expansion of it—one that leans into the genre’s cinematic potential without losing the grit and rawness that gives it life. It’s a significant step forward from their debut, bolder in scope and richer in execution. If this is the direction they’re headed, the storm they summon is one well worth weathering.
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