If a lot of traditional Norwegian black metal is a mass of thorny bushes growing from the rich Norwegian loam, becoming tangled up and like a single mass, Mork are the ones who stand apart: Superficially the same but get close the thorns are longer and curved to hook you and strange, dark blooms nestle within. They really have created a space all their own with their firm roots but aggressively individual approach and fine song-writing. Now on their fifth full length, Thomas Eriksen puts forward, I guess, their pandemic album.

Last album, Det Svart Juv, was an unnerving album, possessed of a blazing single-minded determination and grim anger. Katedralen?

‘Dodsmarsjen’ after a brief intro dives into some classic, turbulent cold riffing with thick veins of melody despite the harsh teeth. The atmosphere is intense, but its speed is nicely raw, an excellent opener in fact. Shades of old Celtic Frost reach out of ‘Svartmalt’ from the riff to the unsettling vocal turns. Its dark and bleak and goes deeper than the opener even as it slips between melodic break and gorgeous driving riffage. ‘Arv’ has that almost heavy metal vibe; a little D666 even? Something in the riff and the bloody awesome twisting snarled vocals. There are even clean vocals riding an epic, melancholic melody towards the end. Never fear though as firstly it is excellent and deeply affecting, and secondly ‘Evig Intens Smerte’ has a jagged, ripping edge and a hook of a down turned tune that haunts like a lich.

‘Det Siste Gode I Meg’ perhaps is the biggest surprise. From a simmering stomp and snarl it rises up into clean vocals and a melody and feel that harks back to early Borknagar; an almost progressive use of clean and harsh vocals, rime switches and glorious vocal crescendos. There is an air of contemplation to it, a thoughtful moment before the background is once more awash with tooth and claw. Wonderful song-writing. Wonderful.

‘Fodt Til A Herske’ is another fine snarl, while ‘Lysbaeren’ has a strange serpentine feel, an unusual rhythmic beginning and causing the curious thought of what Melechesh would sound like if they were Norwegian…? Some great guitar picking, a swagger and a dexterous swirl that never loses momentum make this a real ‘stop and think’ moment. ‘De Fortapte Sjelers Katedral’, a nine and a half minute epic almost encapsulates the album as a whole. Harsh driving parts, sombre slow section that feels sinuous, before drifting out with a church organ…

Perhaps not as violent as the previous album, Katedralen is anything but gentle. I would say there is more introversion here in a way, but the bitter cold remains. There is also that wonderful balance of exploring new paths whilst keeping firmly to the sound and the roots of the core presence of Mork. So successful is this journey that I can’t help feeling this is their best album yet.

(9/10 Gizmo)

https://facebook.com/MORKOFFICIAL

https://peaceville.bandcamp.com/album/katedralen