New album “Diablerie” out on now!
By TT
W.T.C. PRODUCTIONS presents MORTUUS’ third album, Diablerie.
Thematically, it continues the exploration of the shadow-aspects of existence, now focused on traditional Faustian black magic. As conventional as this may sound for a black metal band in 2022, the lyrics again prove the contrary. Just like the accompanying artwork leaves the ordinary imagery and immature aesthetics found amongst most contemporaries, the visuals clad Diablerie in timeless solemnity bare of any cliche.
The total playing time of 43 minutes is split into four songs only, hinting at voluptuous arrangements and a certain epicness – yet, Kvarnbrink and Hinze never lose sight of the essence of a song. Quite the contrary: on their quest for the perfect harmonies, the perfect riff and perfect song, they drop everything superfluous, and it seems MORTUUS have finally found the holy grail and magic formula. Every single note, every word, and every beat of a 10-minute song is indispensable. Superficially repetitive, the complexity of their musical tapestry unravels with every further minute into a song. The arrangements are the equivalent of a maelstrom, where the listener is drawn deeper and deeper into that shadow-world which the lyrics are staged in. Though more sophisticated than their forebears, MORTUUS still retain the hypnotic quality of early-to-mid ’90s black metal which we all were fascinated by.
Diablerie is a profound album, definitely their peak achievement so far, and a rare kind in the vast sea of meaningless releases.
MORTUUS was formed from the scattered ashes of foregone musical projects in 2003 by J. Kvarnbrink and M. Hinze. With firm roots in the swedish scene and past associations with local colleagues like Ondskapt and Ofermod, Kvarnbrink is still active with Head Of The Demon and greek Serpent Noir.
In its essence, Black Metal deals with the destructive aspects of Satanism and Devil-worship, and MORTUUS remain strict to this definition – to be more precise, the Qliphothic tradition serves as inspiration and aspiration alike.
In 2005, a self-titled 7” EP was released by The Ajna Offensive, followed by the debut-album ”De Contemplanda Morte” in 2007. As the title suggested, the lyrics were focused on Death/s manifestations through different levels of perception, using Kabbalistic terminology as link and frame.
Seven years passed before the second full length album, ”Grape of the Vine”, was recorded. Musically, while the so-called swedish orthodox Black Metal scene often moved within faster regions of blastbeats and slicker arrangements, MORTUUS distilled an ever-slower, viscious and grave style of their own. Lyrically, while the debut was of rather philosophical nature, the second album/s songs delved deep into the initiatory practice of the Left-Hand Path. Yet you will not find formulaic manuals transcribed from the vast field of occult literature, as so often in modern „occult Black Metal“. ”Grape on the Vine” was written from the perspective of the true practitioner and is entirely based on experiences of Draconian rituals and black magic.
During the same session, the song ”Nyctophilia” was recorded but ended-up unpublished until 2018, when it was released as split EP with Serpent Noir.
In 2017 MORTUUS colaborated with Abigor, Nightbringer and Thy Darkened Shade on a coherent album where each band had a distinct musical task and presented their part of the chthonic-themed concept through their own belief/s prism.
