The Mission

The Brightest Light

Written by: MN on 21/01/2014 22:23:52

With the release of 2013's "The Brightest Light", the slightly forgotten - albeit quite popular - The Mission (UK) proves to remain one of the primary torchbearers of the gothic rock phenomenon. The Mission has been around since the mid 1980s and is formed from the remnants of a fragmented The Sisters Of Mercy - a band that now survives and acts as the creative powerhouse for Andrew Eldritch, the only original member, except for the drum machine curiously named "Doktor Avalanche". Yet, seeing as this review does not revolve around either Sisters Of Mercy or the naming of inaminate objects, let's get back to the "The Brightest Light" release, a record that displays a more sinister and wrinkled The Mission main-man in Wayne Hussey, who imposes upon the listener a seriousness in tone and a raunchy and husky vocal not so unlike what Bob Dylan has done with the release of "Tempest". It's enjoyable to see this honest regard of a man dealing with the contemplations of aging with sincerity and Wayne Husseys "old crooner" voice works especially well upon the instrumental section that still remains dark, melancholic and filled with atmospheric touches.

The album starts off in the most sinister way with "Black Cat Bone" that includes references to voodoo practices and ageing. After a lengthy intro with a deep bass complimented by a high refrain guitar, Hussey opens his heartwrenching confessions of age:

"When you get to my age, the candles cost more than the cake, it's not the white powder anymore thats keeping me awake, I made a pact with the devil if I could be 21 again, I've been riding the blinds on this runaway train."

With this heavy-hitter, the mood is set to be uneasy, but very powerful. Similar moods permeate a great deal of the songs such as "Sometimes The Brightest Light Comes From the Darkest Place" and "Everything But The Squeal" where the first mentioned also introduces some acoustic guitars, a pleasant touch upon a very mechanical instrumentation thus far. After the first three songs, there is a change in mood, as if all the confessions have been retired to a more invigorating tone in songs such as "The Girl In A Fur Skins" and "Just Another Pawn In Your Game", where the latter has a distinct nostalgic 90's songwriting feel to it. One of the absolute best songs on the record is "Swan Song ", a song that unwinds with twangy guitar and keyboard elements, but is completed by a middle-aged Wayne Hussey that proves himself versatile and ever so powerful despite being active for almost 30 years of his life. "Ain't No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now" is an extremely eerie song reminiscent of the late Johnny Cash in his later years. The song is primarily acoustic based, but also contains some organ-like piano layers, adding a sense of ceremony to the overall piece.

This is in some ways a difficult album to completely digest. It is at points lyrically painful but because of the sincerity, I believe it to be a very successful album, despite at times feeling slightly repetitive. The Mission has not had the easiest career when it comes to line-up changes and longer uncertain hiatus periods constantly hinting towards the disbandment of a great band. "The Brightest Light" is therefore an honest and reflective piece where The Mission is reinstated on the radar after six years of absence. This is definitely one of the better records since their heydays back in the late 80's and early 90's.

8

Download: Black Cat Bone, Swang Song, Ain't No Prayer In The Bible Can Save Me Now
For The Fans Of: The Sisters Of Mercy, The Cure, Bauhaus
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 17.09.2013
Eyes Wide Shut Recordings


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