Mithras

Mithras emerged in 1998 as a British death metal project modeled after the one- or two-person black metal and industrial outfits that handle multiple roles internally. Rayner Coss on vocals and bass joined forces with Leon Macey, who covered guitar, drums, and keyboards. For the 2002 debut Forever Advancing...Legions the pair enlisted session and occasional live drummer Ben White. The core duo performed every instrument on the follow-up Worlds Beyond the Veil in 2003, broadening their approach by blending a conventional Floridian death metal foundation with psychedelic guitar solos and atmospheric lyrics that set Mithras apart. That distinctive identity secured a deal with Candlelight Records, resulting in the third album Behind the Shadows Lie Madness in 2006, which earned widespread critical praise. An expanded touring lineup supported the release, adding second guitarist Alex de Moller, formerly of Scythian, alongside drummer Sean Broster. Rayner Coss concluded his ten-year tenure with the group after a 2008 headline performance in London; although the parting was described as amicable, the remaining members, now featuring the return of Ben White on drums, sought a replacement. They selected vocalist and bassist Sam Bean, known from the Berzerker, and began work on a fourth album that remains untitled.