Disarmonia Mundi – The Dormant Stranger (Coroner Records)

Back in 2015, it seemed like an eternity over the course of six years waiting for a new release from Disarmonia Mundi, the frantic 2-man melodic death metal act from Italy. Their explosive mix of raging melodeath riffing, beautiful high-speed melodies, and even some regular guest sections from Bjorn Strid (Soilwork/The Night Flight Orchestra) always delivered a product that stood out among the denizens of genre. That said, Cold Inferno delivered, and we all hoped at the time for a quicker turn around for their sixth album. Well, it’s now 2025, a full decade later, and Disarmonia Mundi has finally returned with a proper follow-up with The Dormant Stranger.

Much like their last, long-awaited effort, The Dormant Stranger delivers the goods. Having hit upon their sweet spot within the genre, it’s more of a continued evolution than reinvention but that’s a great thing. No one really does melodeath in the same way as Disarmonia Mundi. You can look to the bands (including Soilwork) who clearly left a mark on the act and their evolution away from that adrenaline-pumping version of melodic death metal, but Disarmonia Mundi still sits here and revels in it. There’s a sheer thrill factor involved when opener “Adrift Among Insignificant Strangers” kicks into full gear, thrusting ahead with vicious riffs while being laced with shining melodies and not just because it’s been a decade but because their particular sound elicits an immediate sense of euphoria. The speed rush coupled with hook-filled melodies and a killer chorus is the best way to launch this album. The merger of Claudio Ravinale and Bjorn Strid’s harsh and clean vocals also gives an equality pleasing feel to the standout melodies of instrumental mastermind Ettore Rigott.

Crunchy, stomp-worthy riffs, flashy guitar melodies and leads, and plenty of vocal dynamics hold up to the same high standard of previous releases, and it’s clear that Disarmonia Mundi has not lost a step over the years. The smile-inducing leadwork of “Oathbreaker” is bound to send your mind racing to the glory days of melodeath, as are the heartpounding grooves merging with Ravinale’s barked vocals. The slower, chuggier approach to “Illusion of Control” really let’s the melodies take the lead, from the mellow clean guitar moments to the extended solo, to a downright groovy mid-tempo riff later on, the band doesn’t have to just simply thunder ahead at full speed to provide a rush. That said, the ‘bolt out of the gates’ energy of “Warhound” thrives off of it’s blastbeat-ridden opening and keeps an urgent pace even when the tempo slows for a dazzling chorus. It’s a jackhammer of a track that provides a rush that other melodeath acts just haven’t hit in the same way recently. “Architects of Negativity” hits some similar aggressive notes, which really opens up the chorus to provide that sweet feeling of contrast as it goes into soaring levels of melody.

While Disarmonia Mundi may be a name that has vanished for a bit, they’ve again stormed back with a melodic vengeance. The Dormant Stranger scratches an itch within the melodeath community that only they are capable of filling. Other groups may have mellowed a bit over the years, but Disarmonia Mundi return once more to showcase that it’s still possible to have all of that flashy melodic sensibility while delivering a thoroughly energetic and heavy product. Those in the know already are awaiting this one, but for anyone who has missed their releases in the past, there’s never been a better time to dig into their incredibly solid discography. The Dormant Stranger should be next on your list of melodic death metal to check out.