The only (!) Bulgarian band playing progressive metal (at least at the present moment). Despite the fact that the country has plenty of fans of such music, Bulgarian bands continue with remarkable stubbornness to churn out black and death metal. They simply don't want to play power or progressive. But MYSTICA do. The band was created by a member of another Bulgarian group, EMBRACE BY DARK, which plays gothic black metal. However, MYSTICA's music contains nothing of the sort. It's quite intricate, elaborately arranged, with interesting keyboard parts and clean, melancholic vocals. On the plus side, the band doesn't try to be the two-hundredth DREAM THEATER clone, having instead chosen PSYCHOTIC WALTZ as their source of inspiration (whether that's good or bad is hard to say, but in any case, "Psychotic Waltz" is a far less imitated band than "the Theaters"). On the minus side -- clearly a novice vocalist. But that's a matter of time, especially since he's trying very hard. The guys are devoted fans of their "progressive" craft, and everything should work out well for them. We eagerly await a proper studio effort!
