MYSTIQUE – Black Rider – 30th Year Anniversary (2016 Eat Metal Records)

Hamilton Ontario’s Mystique might have been my favourite musical discovery of 2022, a steely classic progressive metal band, with a load of expensive past releases to seek.  This reissue covers the Black Rider EP with some demos and singles.  It’s an absolutely essential purchase for any serious metal head, despite the production values, simply because these songs all scorch with an impressive diversity ranging from Priest to Poison.

4.5/5 stars