It’s a case of old favourites licking raw wounds here as Norwegian progressive metal group Madder Mortem return with their eighth album and follow up to 2018 release Marrow. Although in recent years the group have stuck together like a loving family unit it has certainly not been without trials and tribulations. If you have seen the film ‘Howl Of The Underdogs’ you will be well aware that singer Agnete bared her very soul and confronted her past with raw emotion. Sadly, the recording of this album had her and guitarist BP Kirkevaag having to confront the death of their father Jakob. A strong supporter of the band and an artist the new release is obviously in tribute to his passing as well as including work based on his paintings on the cover. It’s an album that cannot help but touch the listener but although heart-wrenching it is also a warm and loving album that has all the ups and downs one would expect.
I have had plenty of time to spend with this as it turned up towards the end of last year but have not wanted to overplay it, rather let it flow naturally and seep through the pores. Three singles were taken from the album and to be honest, the impeccable song-craft contained within could have seen any of the ten tracks presented as a precursor to the album. There is plenty to confront here and parallels can be found in terms of its impact from track-to-track. Opener ‘Coming From The Dark’ poetically entrances and has a melody that gets firmly entrenched in the head. One listen and it hooks you in with vocals raising from sweet caresses to strident yells whilst the muscular musicianship powers away. Full of strength and dignity and with an at times bombastic and djenty bounce it has an intensity that cannot be ignored. By comparison there’s an almost Lynchian, Film Noir twang to ‘On Guard,’ a dreamy, dark-night stargazing experience with twisting guitar shapes thrown amidst dulcet, story-telling vocals. The startling frenzied antagonism of frenetic ‘Master Tongue’ jolts straight out of any reverie and starkly reminds that all is not quite well… It’s a belting number in every respect from the beefy backing vocals to the musical stranglehold of the rigorous guitar and drum bombast. Still there are moments that it is tinged with the sorrow of subject matter, always at the heart of things.
‘The Head that Wears the Crown’ is the first of the singles here and has a bitter-sweet vibe that is quite upbeat as it powers away with hard hitting chorus and plenty of vigour and intensity. What do you expect from a track called ‘Cold Hard Rain?’ It’s got a childlike “looking out the window” innocence about it and a nursery rhyme quality suggesting that play is on hold until it stops but “it keeps on coming down,” trapping within. By the time the song ends it is nothing short of a deluge. Back-to-back we have the other two singles. ‘Unity’ with electronic intro, another earworm ringing out loud and clear and ‘Towers’ a twisty burst of progressive weaving, flailing around the ever-impressive vocal gymnastics.
I guess you could look at ‘Here And Now’ as an enthralling and graceful ballad delivering a gorgeous warm and soothing caress. Hearts may well be broken lyrically but it’s ultimately a case of surviving it all and coming back even stronger, in this case via the incredibly empowering ‘Things I’ll Never Do.”
Ok, I’m not going to mince words here, this is a fantastic album and one that truly comes from the heart. Madder Mortem have turned tragedy into triumph and although confronting a long hard road have delivered an album which is a profound tribute borne out of sincerity and love. Despite this it is far from an insular listening experience and put simply the loyal fan-base of the band (myself included) are surely going to love each and every song contained within.
(9/10 Pete Woods)
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