Review Summary: That which may not be the ground-breaking sound certainly has proven to be the intricate and mind-dazzling excellence of Mors Principium Est's new album.
Originally a mixture of black and power metal,
Mors Principium Est has now tangibly integrated into a prominent Melodic Death Metal category. In 2003 their debut album was released, and now 4 years later, they have released their third album; having retrospectively phased out their style little by little. With
Liberation = Termination, the Finnish sextet have surmounted to the pinnacle of their style, and it almost feels like the transition they had realized was non-existent. A dainty instrumental harmonization and technical proficiency is what pinpoints this new album through out the bands endeavors, while beautifully fragmented by the chugging riffs and brutal vocals. The band have riskily confined themselves, and apart from the keyboard which scoots in here and there to enrich the overall feeling, their style is pretty much derivative. Their lack of a crude yet catchy sound is what takes them a step back; nonetheless, I can not help but indulge in the effulgent technically modern aspects.
I’m not very big on the Melodic Death Metal scene today, and really have never been. It is perhaps the result of paths that I have taken which have created gateways to none other than
Mors Principium Est. As I first gave this compilation a listen, I noticed an almost techno sound which bulged through songs. The contemporary influences have all gathered in a test-tube to explosively create bands of this like; music that is founded on other styles. While
Liberation = Termination lacks in this raw quality that has emerged to create yet another influence, the outcome is still intricate, compellingly groovy and the entirety may not be innovative, but manages to dichotomize from bulks that all play murkily. Personally, I don’t like to distort my judgment not in favor of something because it is not completely unique, and in effect, with
Mors Principium Est, I will presumptuously make that exception. The choir of instruments that is mingled together is blindingly crisp and up-beat, while the brittle riffs are what relieve me from thinking it was mere melodic keyboard-ing. On the whole, fans of more extreme/power metal that enjoy the exploitation of the lead guitars should be quite pleased. Overused riffs and breakdowns are no more, as Mors Principium Est focus on the spine-chilling and blissful facets of melo-death put through thanks to synth and keyboard melodies which bestow themselves as a gradient to the primary cascading of the now superimposing guitar.
“Feed me and I will be your king
Let me taste your sweet flesh,
I'll suck it all in me
Feed me and you will be my queen
I just need your sweet flesh,
I'm living in a spiders dream”
- The Animal Within
The vocals are very besetting and imperious. Displaying a high vocal range, Ville Viljanen adjoins to the more brittle and raspy side while still complying with the tone, or funk that the track has implemented; although complying may be the wrong word to use here as the vocals are very empowered on their own and are not devoted to the general rhythm. As I listen intently through the rest of the album, I begin to notice a change of tone in the second half of the album. The album becomes more progressive and the songs cohere less. The structure of the songs are simpler and more concrete while the down-tuned and distorted instruments create a subtle atmosphere; subsequentially illustrated. This sudden change may have been engendered because of me having settled in more to the album, and subconsciously adapted to a new and more approving perspective which renders this half more dreary. Riffs become more extensive and cut-down and the discreet keyboard produces sounds which ornaments the atmosphere; even some great solos are featured. The bass is quite palpable between the riffing, and intertwines the elements in small moments, or muffles them out, sometimes oppressing the minute perplexity, depending on how the output on whatever sound system you are using is. The drums aren’t the most blatant accessories and can occasionally drown in the intense riffing.
“I'm here but never completely free
Between the worlds that you see
All alone is cold emptiness
No one hear me scream.”
- The Distance Between
The band has managed to harmonize aggressiveness and melody in their new release
Liberation = Termination. The keyboard brings about an atmospheric dimension which counterbalances the more thrashy sequences. With misanthropic lyrics and the deadly vocals, the band manages to assemble a balanced and subtle new album which rises above expectations. Tune up your equalizers, because
Liberation = Termination is the new excellence in Melodic Death Metal.
Recommended Tracks:
- The Animal Within
- Finality
- Forgotten
- The Distance Between
