Is drum'n'bass in its final hour? That's the question posed by this trio of Mancunian veterans who, according to their MySpace, don't sound like would-be saviours of a scene: "We are three blokes who drink beer and moan a lot."
Ten years since their heyday, Mistical are provocative about the state of drum'n'bass as MC DRS spits on the title track, "The same old structure that we've heard before, the same old samples now you're out the door" over thrilling, rolling kettle-drum beats. There's a nod to rave classic Strings of Life on Memory Jog and despite it's soulful leanings, Believe still has the kind of colossal sub-bass that could rattle the grills from Goldie's gob.
Mistical are unlikely to attract gongs like Reprazent or 4 Hero, but The Eleventh Hour is an innovative step forward that deserves to be heard. Otherwise these three blokes will have more to moan about down the pub.
