Like many underground bands, Denmark’s Corpus Mortale have a fairly long, yet stuttering history. Since their inception in 1993, they have released only a handful of albums (this being their fourth). One can only guess at the pitfalls and problems this band has had to face, however these underground scene veterans have quite a lot to be pleased about with the release of this latest opus.
For a start, the production is absolutely top-notch; pristine, clear as a bell, yet bone-crunchingly heavy. Every note sounds out, and absolutely no power is lost in this mix at all; it is utterly leaden and crushing. The guitars have that perfect balance of sheer, bass-driven weight, and aggressive crunch, which suits Corpus Mortale’s style perfectly.
In the age of a thousand different sub-genres, it is sometimes refreshing to hear `death metal’ plain and simple. This is exactly what Corpus Mortale play; it is dark, it is heavy, it makes you want to bang your head. This is not death metal played at a zillion miles an hour, nor is it played in 7/4 time on 15 string guitars. There are blast beats, but these are used for effect, not for the sake of it.
Corpus Mortale actually have a good line in dark, brooding, meaty riffs – in this sense you can tell that they are seasoned veterans of the scene, not green newcomers. They know very well how to create an ominous atmosphere, without having to resort to keyboards, violins or a host of electronic instruments. There are also some fantastic guitar solos; great sweeping, melodious yet melancholy affairs evoking memories of some of the great metal bands of yesteryear.
However, originality is not something I would accuse this band of. I don’t know if it is because of the age of the band, but the music only makes me reminisce about other, greater (or at least more successful) bands in their heyday. There are certain names that really leap out at me on certain tracks; once I heard album opener `Weakest of the Weak’, my mind immediately screamed `Vader, Vader, it’s Vader!!!’ At other times, you hear glimpses of classic Morbid Angel, juxtaposed with crushing Grave-like heaviness. However, it is Vader in particular that I keep hearing throughout the ten songs; that mixture of straight ahead, visceral, sub-Morbid Angel single-note riffing, frantic drums and the overall dark, nasty atmosphere.
The other problem with this album is that is not all that memorable. There are no real standout tracks for me, although moments on each and every song where it is difficult not to headbang, or at least nod to yourself with a grim expression on your face. However, after a while, all the tracks merge into one death metal jamboree, and it is not easy to pick one from another.
So, what do we have here? It is not original, ground breaking or earth shattering, that is for sure. It is essentially, a good, solid, death metal album, nothing more and nothing less. These Danes are no doubt talented musicians, with some great ideas about atmosphere. Here’s hoping their next release has more of themselves in it.
(7/10 Jon Butlin)
www.facebook.com/corpusmortale
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