Lake Malice - ‘Mitsuko’ single review
Lake Malice by Pearl Cook
Two weeks ago I shared a review for Lake Malice supporting As Everything Unfolds. The Lake Malice part of that review ended with one sentence: “We need a Lake Malice headline tour”.
And now we have it, as well as the announcement of the upcoming Post Genesis EP, due 27 Ocotber via SO Recordings.
Anyone doubting their chops as a headlining act need look no further than “Mitsuko”, which dropped at midnight on 27 Sept. Everything in promotion of this single has had a sense of unease, suspense, and foreboding. It bears some brief similarities to “Magic Square”, but then descends into a much rawer place than anything they've put out.
We’ve seen plenty in Lake Malice’s singles & live shows of what they can do with some beefed-up guitar and harsh vocals. But this latest single is something different.
This at the very least feels heavier in all facets. It's become a given that any guitar from Blake Cornwall is of top quality, this is a stay of form for him. One thing less often mentioned with Lake Malice is the drumming. Whatever went into the tracking for “Mitsuko”, drums helped the release absolutely slay.
Last but not least is giving some obvious dues to Alice Guala on vocals. The way they combine with the drum and bass at the start of the track is a treat, but it's the utter rage she exudes when the track breaks down. This is by far the most feral the vocals have been on any release.
For a song that has its main hook as "This is not about you", it's hard not to take that a bit literal. Ending 2023, and going into 2024, it's about Lake Malice.
Stream “Mitsuko”, pre-save Post-Genesis, and catch them on tour with Skindred on select UK dates in November, in Europe with Enter Shikari, on then on their FIRST headline dates before the end of the year.
