Taking a page from multi-tasking black metal and industrial acts, which often consist of just two or even a single individual, Mithras are a British death metal "band" originally founded in 1998 by Rayner Coss (vocals/bass) and Leon Macey (guitar/drums/keyboards), who later called upon session (and sometime live) drummer Ben White for the recording of their 2002 debut album, Forever Advancing...Legions. The core duo would handle all instruments themselves on the following year's Worlds Beyond the Veil, which expanded upon its predecessor's peculiar formula, mixing a "traditional" Floridian death metal template with psychedelic guitar solos and spacy lyrics, quite unique to Mithras' sound. This uniqueness got the band signed to Candlelight Records for its third LP, 2006's critically acclaimed Behind the Shadows Lie Madness, which was supported on tour by an expanded lineup featuring second guitarist Alex de Moller (ex-Scythian) and drummer Sean Broster. But Rayner Coss' decade-long involvement with Mithras would sadly come to an end in 2008, following a headline show in London, and although the split was reportedly amicable, it forced the remaining bandmembers (now including a reinstated Ben White on drums) to go out and find a worthy replacement. Which they did, most critics and fans agree, by recruiting vocalist/bassist Sam Bean, of the Berzerker fame, and then beginning on an as yet untitled fourth album. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi
