What I know about this band from
before is pretty much only that their bassplayer is Patrik Backlund,
whose other band Quicksand Dream's only album I like very much, a
very underrated piece of epic heavy metal. Nowadays though, focus
seems to be on Mortalicum all the way.
From the title and the album cover, what I expected was something very slow, dark and super depressive-ish.
Therefore, it comes as a surprise that the opening tune of this
album, The Endless Sacrifice, is an up-tempo rocker that I even
wouldn't mind calling a bit cheerful. Sure there are some real slow
and longer songs as well, but still in a very different way compared
to my expectations. One of the bands that comes to mind while
listening to this album is definitely Grand Magus, much because of
the vocals of Henrik Högl reminding a lot of the ones of JB. Which
is a very positive thing, since his voice is one of the more superb
ones in the Swedish metal-scene of today. Musically though,
Mortalicum are moving more towards a rock/doom territory, and the
heavy metal is a bit more absent. 80's-era Pentagram would probably
be an even better parallel to draw, heavy and a bit metallic, yet
with the rock-feeling always present.
Weaknesses are hard to find on this
one actually, it's a very solid album. Some of the solos might be a
bit long. The guitar-work is fantastic, but solos that are too long
will get boring sooner or later, no matter how good the player is.
The eleven minutes long title track could might have been cut a bit
shorter as well. Otherwise, the rest of the +7 min-songs, Remember
The Fallen, I Am Sin, and especially the incredibly majestic closer
The Winding Stair, works very well. A very nice experience of an
album, that reminds you to expect the unexpected, and not always
judge the content for its cover. 7,5/10 /H
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