Enlightenment

After three singles and an EP, all put out early in 2024, new Moscow-based depressive BM / dark ambient act Morkerod at last issued its debut album "Enlightenment". Morkerod is the vehicle through which sole member Daemon shares his struggles with depression and other mental health and personal issues, while relying on his Christian faith to guide him through his particular vale of tears and ultimately concluding that, though he may continue to have doubts and religious crises, he will never be abandoned by God. Indeed, in choosing to share his problems with others, with the risk of exposing himself perhaps to scorn and ridicule, Daemon not only shows admirable courage but becomes a source of spiritual comfort to others suffering from depression who so far have not been able to find any relief. On "Enlightenment", which includes "Satanic Decomposition", one of the aforementioned singles, Morkerod takes listeners on a journey into spiritual darkness and death, from which emerges a long and painful endeavour to overcome this darkness, find God and discover a new path and purpose for living.

Starting with "Satanic Decomposition", the music emerges tentatively, as if coming out of a deep abyss and afraid of the light exposure, before quickly turning into a steely grinding force of tremolo BM guitar battery and pounding synth percussion barrage. Riffs are rugged and crunchy in tone, the drums are inhumanly machine-like in their brisk delivery, and the ghastly vocal rasp lays out the lyrical territory of engulfment in spiritual despair and emptiness. Just when you think the music should be descending into a never-ending spiral of blackness, it takes a turn towards the light with exhortations to embrace Christ and to let go of evil and other mental and psychological barriers to freedom. Follow-up track "Soul Necrosis" is less atmo-BM and more radiantly blackgaze in atmosphere and style, enhanced as it is with doleful piano and other melancholy background ambient effects. The core BM music may be heavy-hitting and doomy in pace, and the singing seems weary, yet the clear, almost bell-like ambient details offer emotional reassurance and comfort. "Shards of Faith" is even more post-BM in style as the guitars become no more than a continuous churning, grinding presence over which the keyboard melodies and ambience play out the drama of spiritual struggle in darkness.

The last two tracks are definitely on the way up towards enlightenment even as the lyrics and the slow plodding music seem burdened with this task, urging listeners to overcome weaknesses and backsliding into despair, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill one's being with light and power. A determined warlike mien in the music's structure, in the way the drums continuously hammer away like machine guns while lead guitar sounds a shrill battle cry ("Merciful Lord") or emits blasts of fire and fury ("One Man's War"), and in how the music continues firing even as it fades away at the end of the album, is evident.

The album may not win any awards for originality or for pushing DSBM / dark ambient beyond its musical and lyrical scope, but it carries a powerful and reassuring message that, no matter how bleak and desolate life may appear, God is actually close by if people are ready to accept Him into their lives. There is no compulsion to follow mainstream Christianity or any of its rituals and traditions – all that is required of believers is the realisation that they can let go of evil or unbelief, and this can lead to a change in their outlook or view of the world that in turn can herald more positive changes in their lives.

I can well believe that writing, performing and recording the music for "Enlightenment" itself was a form of spiritual healing for Daemon, and its message can be just as uplifting for those listeners who take the time to hear out this recording at least once, as it was for Daemon in creating this work. Even if you don't care for the album's message, the music does have considerable power and encompasses some experimentation in combining elements of different BM sub-genres and ambient music. Where Daemon / Morkerod will go next after "Enlightenment" though is hard to say – I don't imagine Daemon is willing to keep treading through the same thematic and lyrical ground again and again, even as life continues to throw him bigger spiritual curveballs.