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MORTEM
www.facebook.com/mortemnorway
So, when I heard about this release, I must admit to being quite excited. From the hotbed of Norwegian extreme metal there have always been bands that you keep hearing about, but members are doing too well in their other bands. Mortem always felt like this, and I’ve always been very happy to have Arcturus, 1349, Thorns and Mayhem releasing albums. But, there was always that what if? What if Mortem released an album, what would it be like? And, here we now have their debut album, ‘Ravnsart’, dropping on our laps in 2019, after forming originally in the 80s as a band!

From the monochrome pen drawn artwork of the front cover to the ominous intro going straight into the forward attack of opening track ‘Ravnsart’, there is no doubting the intensity of the band. Of course, there are comparisons to be made with the musicians aforementioned main bands. Although not as progressive or ‘out there’ as Arcturus have become, there are many playful moments in the rhythms that remind of the Garm era early days. There is an intensity similar to 1349 when the band are going full pelt. In a lazy way this would be how I could describe the sound of Mortem. As a good mix of Arcturus and 1349, but I do feel this is only a start point as the more I have listened to the album the more it takes on its own (un)life. What you feel may have been quite simplistic and one dimensional on first listen starts to draw you in with repeat listens.

An obvious mention should go to Hellhammer’s drumming, as ferocious yet precise as you would expect and want from the man who has played in more Norwegian black metal bands than any other musician! In a way, I think this might have been the album they would have released all those years ago (maybe with a tinnier production of the time) but this is its secret weapon. It would have aged well! It may not necessarily break new musical boundaries, but it is a great 45 minutes and 32 seconds of Norwegian black metal with no weak tracks. Over the weeks I’ve been listening to the album, it has grown from a tentative 7 or 8 to a definitive 9 out of 10. I certainly hope that Mortem does not slow up members’ other bands releasing albums but I’m already looking forward to the next Mortem album based on ‘Ravnsart’. Highly recommended!!!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Peaceville
Album
RAVNSVART
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Review by Paul Sims
RUNNING TIME:
45:32
RELEASE DATE:
27th Sept 2019
TRACK LISTING
1) Ravnsvart
2) Sjelestjeler
3) Blood Horizon
4) Mørkets Monolitter
5) Truly Damned
6) Demon Shadow
7) Port Darkness
8) The Core
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Norway
"From the monochrome pen drawn artwork of the front cover to the ominous intro going straight into the forward attack of opening track ‘Ravnsart’, there is no doubting the intensity of the band."
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