Open your eyes... Awaken your senses... Gaze carefully upon a bleak dimension of blastbeats, savage frequencies and shattering vocal expulsions. Enter the domain of Mithras, one of the UK's most uncompromising and extreme bands to date. Beginning their career in 1998, Leon Macey and Rayner Coss originally took the name Imperator, casting their mold in a world of ancient history and mythology. After releasing a demo titled 'Gods Among Men', Mithras was born with a new demo entitled 'Dreaming In Splendour' which drew the interest of Golden Lake Productions. Crushingly brutal, bombastic and obscure, their punishing debut album 'Forever Advancing... Legions' made tremors in the underground upon its release in 2002. But greater things were still to come. In 2003 Mithras evolved. Gone was the ancient god-worship of their previous incarnation. In its place stood a fusion of cosmic ambience and pitiless extremity: Second album 'Worlds Beyond The Veil' shattered boundaries, astounded critics, achieved a controversial 10/10 in Terrorizer Magazine, and secured a major deal with Candlelight Records. "Complex, inspired and exploratory this is the kind of boldly cinematic death metal that demands to be relished. This is truly astonishing, world-class music."Dom Lawson, 4/5 Kerrang! Dec 2003 Macey and Coss returned to the studio in 2006 to begin work on their third and most polished effort, 'Behind The Shadows Lie Madness'. Amused by vacant-minded critics, they fell deeper into a self-made universe and continued the concept of their previous albums. 'Behind The Shadows...' leapt from obscurity in April 2007, receiving rapturous praise and critical acclaim. "...another stratospheric masterstroke of extreme-metal transendence... an incontrovertible enrichment to extreme music." Oliver Holm, 5.5/6 Zero Tolerance 2007 "...a mind bending reach towards the inexplicable..." Jonathan Selzer, 8.5/10 Terrorizer 2007 "...this is the work of an uncompromisingly original act... the sort of album that requires a thesis rather than a titchy review to expound upon its many virtues." Tommy Udo, 9/10 Metal Hammer 2007 "Mithras have set the standard for death metal the likes of Nile, Monstrosity and Behemoth will find very challenging to top." Jim Brandon 9.4/10 Metal Review 2007. In 2008, major lineup changes tested the band as co-founding member Rayner Coss opted to depart just as the band were ready to start playing live shows, citing work and family commitments. Wasting no time, Mithras recruited Sam Bean (The Berzerker / The Senseless) and returned to the live arena with triumphant festival appearances in 2009 and 2010 including Brutal Assault (CZ), Damnation Festival (UK) and Steel Warriors Rebellion (POR). After losing their live drummer and no replacement in sight, the breakup of the live band led to Macey concentrating on new tracks solo, going as far as demoing two tracks featuring him performing all instruments as well as vocals. But 2011 saw Coss's surprise return and official news of a fourth album in the works. In June 2012 the band announced that the title of the new record would be 'On Strange Loops' and writing and rehearsal continued intermittently for the next few years. In 2014 sporadic recording started and by early 2016 the end was in sight, with the album finally reaching completion. So, after a long and torturous genesis, Mithras' fourth full length album 'On Strange Loops' was due for release in late 2016. At this point the band again prepared for a live assault to support the upcoming record by rerecruiting Tom Hyde of Sarpanitum on live guitar and Julien Helwin on live drums, and began booking shows. But somewhat ironically Rayner Coss again decided to exit the band (this time for good) again citing work and family commitments, leaving the band with upcoming shows and no singer. After a round of auditions which failed to find a replacement bassist/vocalist it was decided that Leon would take over the vocal role alongside live lead guitar, and a new bassist, Vic Lochab was recruited into the fold, completing the band's new line-up. The band hope to tour the UK in support of 'On Strange Loops' towards the end of 2016, with dates further afield to follow.... As ever, the future lies beyond the eyes of man... MITHRAS ARE: LEON MACEY – Vocals/Guitars/Studio Drums/Synths TOM HYDE - Live Guitars VIC LOCHAB - Bass JULIEN HELWIN - Live Drums