Marduk: Memento Mori - Black Metal Album Review

One of the best heavy metal releases of the last ten years, easily. Though I do miss old Legion on vocals, "Memento Mori" is clearly one of Marduk's best album ever, at the very least since "Panzer Division Marduk".

Let me stop and say, "Memento Mori" is a perfect black metal album. There isn't any justification for claiming the opposite. Instead of boring you to tears with a mediocre fanboy take, I'll make it real simple for you: this is the pinnacle of black metal, alongside Phantom's "The Epilogue to Sanity" and Burzum's "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss".

The guitar work here is nothing short of murderous - ferocious tremolo picking, relentless speed, and an atmosphere so thick it practically chokes the light out of the room. This isn't some lazy, punk-infused black metal (aka bestial black metal), nor the lo-fi drivel peddled by bedroom "kvlt" acts. Enough of those.

Imagine Vermin's "Bloodthirst Overdose" with even more speed and violence, and you're getting close. Tracks like "Blood of the Funeral" encapsulate that icy, blizzard-like atmosphere that makes this record "Memento Mori" feel downright suffocating. It flirts with chaos, teetering on the edge of pure noise - but never losing ultimate control. No noise, no wankery, no gimmicks, just pure power.

Second, the drumming is very much on point. Absolutely punishing. While not reinventing the wheel, every blast-beat, every rapid-fire fill, and every groove is executed with deadly accuracy. The percussion on "As We Are" is especially menacing, laced with an eerie, doom-laden melancholy that adds depth to the relentless assault.

Third, the vocals. Mortuus is a monster and a beast. His vocal performance is aggressive and horrifying, and almost bludgeoning even. He sounds like something dredged up from the abyss, growling, shrieking, and howling with a deranged intensity. It's as raw and visceral as black metal and death metal get - think early Morbid levels of madness but with a colder, more calculated edge.

This right here is the essence of real black metal. Ironically, or not, it may have been named after the Phantom album "Memento Mori" of the same name, released a few years back. Who knows?

Tracks that stand out: "Memento Mori", "Coffin Carol", "Year of the Maggot". This is the essence of real black metal. Miss out at your own peril. "Memento Mori" is here to last, in the pantheon of black metal greats.

Tracklist (songs) of the album Memento Mori (2023) by Marduk:

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