Mors Principium Est - Dawn Of The Fifth Era
This Finnish melodic death metal outfit has a slew of quality releases that have garnered plenty of attention and this release, their fifth as you'd predict judging by its title, follows their stalwart path to progressive death metal utopia in proficient manner despite the plague of line up issues over the last seven years or so. Carrying the band onwards and upwards this release captures the energy and virtuosity of past endeavours and consummately binds them into one spell binding opus that opens with a grandiose intro piece called 'Enter The Asylum' before the crisp driving riff of 'God Has Fallen' blankets the listener in harmonious velvety tones. One thing that stands testament to this bands song writing is the ability to brandish truly exquisite lead breaks and hooks that cement the whole listening experience into one seamless sonic tapestry.
The bands classical like adornments are obvious, they usher in that atmosphere of class one expects from such gifted guitar playing and whilst my genre tag of melodic death metal is apt it is really only the vocals that make this lilt towards that genre and the occasional blast as this listens like any other progressive or technical metal album that the likes of Symphony X produce but more comfortably resides within that style of mid era In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity but also Soilwork as I'm sure you've got the picture now. As we hit the dulcet devilment of 'Leader Of The Titans' the guitar riffs stroke the ears softly but with boundless force that you can quite easily miss the bands subtleties when deployed within that maelstrom of driving riffs. The use of keyboards to embellish the songs is one I really enjoyed; they create that air of arrogance and pristine puissance that enables each tune to unfold as your ears devour the content greedily. Comparatively this album has touches of Arch Enemy due to the guitar work of course and whilst I'm reluctant to say that that band is influential here it does give you a sense of where the band is coming from musically. Parts of this remind me of Kalmah due to its buoyant guitar work and aggressive tendencies but as has oft been said about the band parts are like Children Of Bodom but these guys offer far more than their compatriots as on the sublime 'Monster In Me' which had me grasping at references of Rhapsody Of Fire such is the sheer incredible guitar work unleashed. As the short but majestic interlude of 'Apricity' breaks free to reveal 'Wrath Of Indra' we get a brilliant riff and harmony delivered at a breakneck pace and here you'll probably say the band is like Bodom but this is far more accomplished. Closing this release is 'The Forsaken' a mini epic of sorts it starts with charismatic but simple piano before the starting gun signals all frets blazing and riding astride a galloping beast of a song. The song feels heavier and faster than anything before it but really is just a perfect composition to end an album brimming with ideas from start to finish.
A release that has probably fallen under your radar last year, Mors Principium Est are a guitar players dream and alongside their gleaming song writing this fifth album really needs to give the band the recognition they deserve.
The bands classical like adornments are obvious, they usher in that atmosphere of class one expects from such gifted guitar playing and whilst my genre tag of melodic death metal is apt it is really only the vocals that make this lilt towards that genre and the occasional blast as this listens like any other progressive or technical metal album that the likes of Symphony X produce but more comfortably resides within that style of mid era In Flames, and Dark Tranquillity but also Soilwork as I'm sure you've got the picture now. As we hit the dulcet devilment of 'Leader Of The Titans' the guitar riffs stroke the ears softly but with boundless force that you can quite easily miss the bands subtleties when deployed within that maelstrom of driving riffs. The use of keyboards to embellish the songs is one I really enjoyed; they create that air of arrogance and pristine puissance that enables each tune to unfold as your ears devour the content greedily. Comparatively this album has touches of Arch Enemy due to the guitar work of course and whilst I'm reluctant to say that that band is influential here it does give you a sense of where the band is coming from musically. Parts of this remind me of Kalmah due to its buoyant guitar work and aggressive tendencies but as has oft been said about the band parts are like Children Of Bodom but these guys offer far more than their compatriots as on the sublime 'Monster In Me' which had me grasping at references of Rhapsody Of Fire such is the sheer incredible guitar work unleashed. As the short but majestic interlude of 'Apricity' breaks free to reveal 'Wrath Of Indra' we get a brilliant riff and harmony delivered at a breakneck pace and here you'll probably say the band is like Bodom but this is far more accomplished. Closing this release is 'The Forsaken' a mini epic of sorts it starts with charismatic but simple piano before the starting gun signals all frets blazing and riding astride a galloping beast of a song. The song feels heavier and faster than anything before it but really is just a perfect composition to end an album brimming with ideas from start to finish.
A release that has probably fallen under your radar last year, Mors Principium Est are a guitar players dream and alongside their gleaming song writing this fifth album really needs to give the band the recognition they deserve.
- Enter The Asylum
- God Has Fallen
- Leader Of The Titans
- We Are The Sleep
- Innocence Lost
- I Am War
- Monster In Me
- Apricity
- Wrath Of Indra
- The Journey
- The Forsaken
Label: http://www.afm-records.de
Reviewer: twansibon
Jan 15, 2015
Jan 15, 2015
Next review:
Amken - Adrenaline Shot
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