Mortichnia, or ‘death march’ is the chilling term given to the last steps of a creature before it meets its maker (unless, and let’s be honest about this, unless its maker is merely a random and unlikely series of chemical reactions spread over billions of years). It’s normally applied to fossilised prints, rather than some kind of Judge Dredd-style heroic walk into Cursed Earth or one way trip to the Eastern Front, so it’s worth pointing out that is where the metaphor ends. Because there is nothing fossilised about the morbidly glittering and dynamism of Mortichnia. Heir to Scoria and Ash is a depressing but grimly energetic black metal journey which plants this Irish band on the map in one decisive debut.
The tracks – dominated by the excellent 14-minute Carrion Proclamation and three chunky nine-minuters – pull together some classic black metal elements. It was recorded back in 2014 and only now seeing the light of day, and a good thing too. It was produced and mixed by Altar of Plagues’ James Kelly, and that is probably a good reference point. Bui there is a firm appreciation of the intensity of bands like Judas Iscariot with the unsettling, shifting arrangements of Deathspell Omega or Blaze of Perdition and perhaps Nachtmystium or Mord a’ Stigmata for that morbidly progressive blackened doom perspective.
The upshot is some sinister explorations into progressive black metal all interlaced with heroic, building crescendos. It’s all done against the background of scorching, depressive-style vocals which provide the perfect primitive blast to any pretensions Mortichnia might have. Mortichnia embrace a mournful, brooding style of black metal – as exemplified on penultimate track, A Furious Withering – and one that ebbs and flows as each track develops and shying away from outright aggression.
Things become more introspective as the album continues, almost disappearing into itself. In fact the latter two tracks may be a step too far in the direction of outright progressive metal with the final reprieve remaining dark and intense rather than what might have been a more predictable explosion. But what stands out from Heir to Scoria and Ash is a band making its mark with a fine album and which now needs to work out how it’s going to raise its head firmly above the rest of the crowd.
Great work and I suspect high ambitions ahead. But while comparisons with the above bands may be pertinent, this style of black metal is now an intensely competitive field where ‘very good’ may not be enough to cut it.
(7.5/10 Reverend Darkstanley)
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