porcelainheart- I skipped over this when it first came out, not sure why but as you can see, it's never too late to do the right thing. Three tracks of some of the easiest listening on the black metal side. This has so many intricately layered folk acoustics that worm their way into your head and stay there for hours, a unique blend that I'm surprised hasn't been done as well before. It translates into some of the best songwriting I've heard in black metal period. FFO Akvan and Mare Cognitum. Favorite track: As Selvas Vermelhas no Planeta dos Eminentes.

boinky37 I've been obsessed with this since buying it. There's so much anguish and yearning packed into these songs, but also hopefulness and determination to move towards a better world with the old world as a guide Favorite track: Legado.

Ippocalyptica Caio Lemos is brilliant no matter the banner under which he chooses to release atmospheric black metal, and if he keeps it up, I might stop referring to him as the Brazilian Panopticon, and start referring to Austin Lunn as the American Kaatayra! Vauruvã is the (slightly) more melancholic and sombre manifestation of Lemos’ artistic vision, and I think Mar da Deriva is the second-best thing he’s made, right behind Toda História pela Frente. For 35 minutes, this will take you to a better place. Favorite track: As Selvas Vermelhas no Planeta dos Eminentes.

Donovan Zimmerman With the sheer volume of releases from Damian, I can't say I've heard every Trha release, but this one sticks out to me as the best of the lot. Really good.

porcelainheart- Wow, colors! This is probably the first Trhä release I've seen with a colorful cover. And it matches the music. This is a deviation from the normally frenetic and unhinged quality of earlier Trhä releases, there's a hopeful, uplifting and triumphant quality to this. Favorite track: den si∫cato£ nene.

𝙅𝙤𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙡 What an album. The riffs, the tones, the twists and turns changing from joy to sorrow and raging cathartic bursts. A definition of post-post metal. Almost makes me cry at some points. Masterful art. Favorite track: zuj.

luthienne It is just that this album combines all my favourite elements: atmosphere, strong emotion, shrieking vocals, depressive style, moving melodies, harsh sound. All working perfectly together from start to finish. An album that is a complete experience, with the most climatic end.
I have experienced the last track at a live gig. Without even knowing what the lyrics meant back then, I burst to tears from the sheer emotion emanating from the vocalist. Incredible! Favorite track: Når Livet går på Hæld.

Harold N’Hiver I knew nothing about this band until I noticed on Panopticon’s IG that they were playing with the aforementioned Panopticon in Europe, and figured that if they were good enough to play with Austin, I should probably check them out.

And unsurprisingly, this record is pure gold. One listen is all it took for it to click with me. I’m looking forward to checking out their previous work as well.

vesheljinn It is happiness, indeed Favorite track: Og det er Lykke.

Obsidian One I have hundreds of black metal albums in my collection, and Exercises in Futility has outsold them all, making it my most popular Bandcamp purchase. That's no coincidence: Mgła is an elite act, with an extraordinary ability to craft melodies that are heavy yet never overbearing, and always addictive. Playback value never seems to fade, and there's not a weak track on the album. An exceptional black metal release that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. 10/10.

David Fischer Despite some private releases in my collection, Exercises In Futility is my thousandth purchase! I planned this a while ago, as this is the most important album to me. In 2016, it opened the door to black metal for me, I understood something about the style and the music that I previously could not grasp. I love and cherish every second of it, and it is simply the best and most complete album I have ever heard. Listened to it hundreds of times already, here's to hundreds more! Hail Mgła! Favorite track: Exercises in futility V.

heidima46 Epic and magnificent. Favorite track: Exercises in futility IV.