Review Summary: Mors Principium Est refines their sound, adds one or two elements and come out on top
Of all the bands that clutter the increasing genre of melodic death metal, one is finding it ever more difficult to pick one out that offers all the usual tricks without ever sounding tedious and laboured. Mors Principium Est offered plenty of promise on their debut “Inhumanity”, full of intertwining melodies and frantic vocals and “The Unborn” continues in much the same vein, albeit a more consistent, and overall enjoyable affair. It may be demanding at times, but the overall consistency pulls the listener through and will not leave them disappointed.
Perhaps one of the main areas that Mors Principium Est attempt to tackle head on most on this CD is to create a more modern sound, while retaining the classic Maiden-esque lead guitars that are the genre’s trademark. Thankfully, for 95% of the time this new approach is pulled off with success, especially on album opener “Pure” which varies from being surprisingly mellow and soulful thanks to the female vocals, to pure, unbridled rage which makes vocalist Ville Viljanen sound like the pulmonary artery has just burst in his neck. This sits just perfectly with the thrash-inspired guitars that underlie the record, and add franticness akin to Hypocrisy which only serves to do the record justice. And just when you think you have got the album sorted, songs like “Parasites of Paradise” catch you off guard with the beautiful interlude halfway through and this only adds to the musical quality on display. There are even several solos on display among the onslaught, most noticeably on the aforementioned “Parasites...” and “The Harmony Remains” which serve to highlight the formidable playing of axeman Tomy Laisto further.
The most refreshing thing on display here is actually the urgency at which the band set around their various instruments. While an increased presence of synth sound gives the album a more mainstream feel, this is by no means an album for the casual listener. Multiple guitar layers varying from groove right through to black metal and the considerable efforts of Ville Viljanen create an onslaught of sound unmatched in the genre, the latter being made even more prominent by the various effects used upon his voice. The only vocalist even close to the man’s efforts of recent times is probably Nergal of Behemoth, which gives anyone unfamiliar with the band a clear idea of just how powerful they are.
Unfortunately, the mix of the whole album can be, at times indescribably poor, meaning that vocals can fade away into the background and drums turn to tinny thumps among the chaos that the guitars splatter around the eardrums. This is a shame as drummer Mikko Sipola gives a cracking performance behind the kit, and bassist Teemu Heinola on the few occasions he is heard provides a solid base for the album to build upon. People may argue that this adds to the fury on display, but all it really serves to do is lower the tone of an otherwise brilliant death metal album.
What Mors Principium Est has managed to create with their second studio effort is an album that not only builds upon the sound established with 2003’s “Inhumanity”, but manages to exceed it in almost every way. Shredding guitars, fantastic solo’s, plenty of blastbeats and suitably strained vocals mean that while nothing new is displayed on this release, it is a more than decent entry into a genre that is just about ready to be flooded with mediocrity.
Recommended Tracks:
1. Pure
2. The Harmony Remains
3. Parasites of Paradise
4. Fragile Flesh
