Mortualia

Albeit mostly known for his main projects Horna and Sargeist, Shatraug has a ton of various side projects. Of all those, Mortualia is the one focusing on desolate atmosphere, torturing repetition, dragging tempo, the vision of a hopeless future: in other words, depressive black metal. The self-titled debut was originally released back in 2007 but it is now getting a re-release treatment by Moribund Cult, though I am basing my review on the original Northern Sky Productions version of which I’ve possessed a copy for a couple of years already.

Mortualia doesn’t fall to the most common problems of depressive black metal. Whereas many contenders turn out to sound just pitiful in their angst, this album does not dwell in self-pity at all. This is cold, distant, murky, and with a great dose malicious melodies and riffs without any clichéd over-melodic tunes. The first monster, ”The Blue Silence” clocking at seventeen minutes, is probably the most melancholic piece of the bunch, followed by another similar track ”In Bleak Loneliness”, after which ”Cold and Grey” kicks in with murky menace: gone are the wistful sounds of the first tracks. The minimal ”Devoid of Warmth” is a strong addition to the whole, but pales in comparison to the last piece, ”Forgotten Soul”, of which beginning riff is so damn dramatic that it truly chills.

To elaborate the album’s sound further, you can probably already guess that Mortualia isn’t professionally produced, and that is only good. Both drums and guitars are quite remote sounding but without any unnecessary amounts of reverb. Shatraug’s vocals are very, very high-pitched and semi-clean wailings which might turn off some and, to be honest, I wasn’t very keen on them at first, but they’ve grown on me over the years. I still prefer his sound on the next full-length Blood of the Hermit on which he gets raspier, though.

If you’re looking for a proper and authentic piece of depressive black metal, I would recommend Mortualia. Perhaps it is not a cornerstone album of the subgenre, but a worthy addition to anyone’s collection who claims to be a fan of the style, as the ringing coldness and joy-killing desolation is surely to make an impact. In case the vocals are too much to bear, then look into Blood of the Hermit, and even that glitch has been then fixed.

4 / 5
[ http://www.vehementconjuration.com/ ]

A true sense of dread and desolation can be difficult to evoke among the extreme metal crowd. We've heard it all, so how is it possible to continue bleeding the stone? The advent of 'suicidal' and depressing black metal has become a stagnant if interesting footnote to the genre at large, but unfortunately few of the bands are actually effective at what they do. Just about anyone sitting in their basement or bedroom with a computer, guitar and drum machine can play some slowish metal riffs and snarl and wail like an old lady being attacked by cats. So who can do it well?

Mortualia. The one-man side project of Shatraug (you'd know him from the great Horna if you weren't a poseur), Mortualia wisely abandons the dank dungeon of eternal cats for a bleak wintery landscape, delivered through five tracks in over 70 minutes. Yes...this is one of those albums to succeed despite its repeitious nature and length, simply because the journey is so immersive. But this isn't just some depressing journey, the album is actually beautiful. Shatraugs tormented cries escape his gasping lungs as the oxygen within freezes in place, while his panoramic vision of bright yet muted eternal tundra bears down on his writhing soul. Let go...let go of everything. Winter has already come, and we are all so fucking lost. So dead. Cut the vein. Cut it.

The individual tracks almost warrant no merit, because I would not advise the downtrodden aspirant to experience any less than the entirety of its playtime in one sitting. For example, the riffs of "Cold and Grey" may differ somewhat from "Devoid of Warmth", but I simply can't envision myself listening to just one. All or nothing here, the perfect soundtrack to a bathtub full of shaved ice and regret, the cold water filling it behind you as you glance sideways from razor to mirror, mirror to razor. Well, your problems amount to nothing in this grand, empty landscape. Winter was long before you. Winter will survive you.

Speaking of survival, I'm not sure if I could take another album from Mortualia. As much as I love this, does anything else need to be said? This is THE END. We all pass quietly into the dusk. How could it merit a sequel? With Shatraug's busy schedule (not only the amazing Horna, but Sargeist, and a myriad of lesser known projects like Hoath and Necroslut) we may ever know. But if you can repeat the same few basic riffs for 70 minutes straight and impress a jaded old man like myself, that's really saying something. An album not to be missed.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com