Artist: Mord
Label: Osmose Productions
Release: 2008
At a time when Old School Black metal seems to have faded into oblivion, a lesser-known band that stays loyal to primal Black metal surprises us every now and then. One of the real ”Underground” acts is Norwegian outfit Mord, who swear by the legacy of their forefathers from the early ’90s.
After releasing two EPs and one studio album, they switched labels and moved to the world-famous French label Osmose Productions, where they put out their most convincing album to date, Necrosodomic Abyss.
The album packs eight blisteringly fast and raw tracks tied together conceptually, since the songs are titled Opus I through Opus VIII. Interesting tidbit: even though this is a Norwegian band, all the lyrics are written in Polish (no surprise, since both permanent members are Polish), except for Opus III, which is written in Norwegian. Sadly, the lyrical content doesn’t rise above the already traditional and clichéd Black metal hymns, meaning blasphemy, sacrilege, and the glorification of evil and Satan once again rule the day.
Mord’s main trump card is definitely the music itself, which is in a way a ”reinvention” of metal, a rediscovery of something that already existed, in this case Rock and Heavy metal from the ’80s. It’s genuinely fascinating to hear basic Rock guitar riffs on steroids, played at a speed where the link to Rock becomes almost absurd and unrecognizable.
Besides the Old School influence, you can also feel a touch of the totalitarian streak of so-called War Black metal, which was once more popular than it is today. At times the album’s tempo is on par with the infamous Panzer Division Marduk, by the band Marduk, probably the most influential album when it comes to war Black metal.
The album as a whole stands out for its excellent production, which comes through especially when you dig into the drum sound, which is phenomenal. Drummer Necrolucas makes the biggest impression on the whole record, with his technically flawless precision and speed. The drums sound like repeated bursts of gunfire in the middle of a battlefield, and that’s exactly what conjures up the war atmosphere typical of this genre. The drummer masterfully handles the constant transitions and nonstop double bass pedal, and spices it all up and builds on it with fairly frequent use of cymbals. He also drums for the Polish Death/Black metal band Anima Damnata.
Besides the fast drums, the guitars deserve a mention too, working like salvos of supersonic projectiles, carrying a hint of war atmosphere and all the hardships that come with it. Generally speaking, the guitar parts aren’t exactly innovative, but they fit the album’s and the band’s concept perfectly. What might seriously bug any halfway seasoned metal ear is that every guitar solo or riff sounds like a rework or offshoot of some riff you’ve already heard from another band. The resemblance to Black metal heavyweights like Marduk or Enthroned is more than obvious, yet it still doesn’t come across as plagiarized or stolen. On top of that there’s a touch of Rock and Heavy metal ideas, but that’s more or less a mandatory ingredient in this kind of subgenre.
Despite minor shortcomings in authenticity and originality, the album sounds really good and will thrill plenty of fans in the metal subculture. Still, it’s soaked in unforgettable energy and aggressive determination, which is very rare to find these days. With its aggressive charge, the album doesn’t come across as some fundamentalist cry for attention, but rather as a reminder of what the human desire for domination and supremacy is capable of.
”Black Metal Ist Krieg”
Lineup
Nordra – vocals, bass guitar, guitar
Necrolucas – drums
Tracklist
1.Opus I (04:30)
2.Opus II (04:30)
3.Opus III (03:45)
4.Opus IV (05:24)
5.Opus V (05:53)
6.Opus VI (03:39)
7.Opus VII (03:50)
8.Opus VIII (5:32)
