Created in 2004 by Thomas Eriksen, Mork started out its life as a side-project. However, having released five acclaimed albums to date, with Dypet being the band’s sixth, Mork have risen to become one of the pre-eminent names in black metal and deservedly so. Dypet, meaning “abyss” in Norwegian, is a grim album indeed, packed with frozen riffs and harrowing vocals. Yet, within it all, there is a sense of melody, that makes the album all the more hypnotic. With stunning artwork from David Thieree, Dypet is another startling journey into the void with one of black metal’s most enigmatic and consistent acts.
Opening the album, Indre Demoner sees the storm clouds gather over a subtle, evocative riff that chimes in the darkness. It is a slow start that allows Thomas to place layer upon icy layer before the allowing the piece to explode some minute and a half into proceedings. As openers go, it is incredibly effective, eschewing the orchestral grandstanding found on so many contemporary black metal albums for a darker, harder sound that recalls the primitive horror of the genre’s first wave. With the first track having effectively explored the harder edge of black metal, Forfort Av Kulden is a more atmospheric piece which, without sacrificing the essential power the first track exhibits, nevertheless deploys a creepy melody that works its way deep under the skin. Things take a darker turn with the grinding riff of Svik, a mid-tempo piece with imperious overtones, while the torrential outpouring of Et Kall Fra Dypet is a truly ferocious black metal assault, that sees the album at its most unsettlingly savage. However, savagery is not all the song has to offer and, as it progresses, it takes a winding path, offering jazz inflection via dizzying bass runs and awkward time signatures. Musically adept without being showy, it’s a dark, constantly evolving masterpiece that sits comfortably within the album’s rotten core.
Opening the second half of the record, and with Hjelvik (former Kverlertak singer) lending a hand, Hoye Murer is a dark collaboration that rages over the course of its near-seven-minute runtime. A powerful track that benefits from Hjelvik’s presence, it is effectively followed by Bortgang, the shifting tempos of which see the listener being pushed out of their comfort zone as the track shifts around them. Dark and heavy, but with deeply embedded melodies, it’s made all the more compelling by its short, yet strangely beautiful coda. A shorter piece, Avskum focuses on black metal’s ability to shock the listener out of their complacency and, arriving on the heels of Bortgang’s eerie conclusion, it hits exceptionally hard. The album concludes with Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen, a track that adds analogue synths to the mix. Not that this suggests in any way a softening of Mork’s approach. The track opens with frozen riffs to the fore (albeit anchored by the endlessly prowling bass), while the scabrous vocals are redolent of age and decay. Nevertheless, as the track progresses, a different set of dynamics come to the fore, expanding Mork’s sonic palette without losing the essential otherworldliness with which the band has made its name, all of which serves to provide the album with a stunning finale.
Mork have quietly (or, perhaps, not so quietly) become one of the most revered names in black metal, albeit with minimal hype. Rather, the band has grown as new fans find their way to Mork’s door, succumb to its dark charms and then spread the word among their peers. It is a tale of genuinely organic and deserved growth (a rarity in today’s increasingly cynical world of marketing), and the quality of Mork’s output ensures that newcomers will find themselves greatly rewarded should they choose to work their way back through the band’s catalogue. As for Dypet, it is another exceptionally strong outing that has the listener utterly engrossed as it roams the black metal wilderness. 9/10
‘Dypet’ track listing:
- Indre Demoner [6:15]
- Forfort Av Kulden [5:20]
- Svik [5:16]
- Et Kall Fra Dypet [7:31]
- Hoye Murer (Feat HJELVIK) [6:41]
- Bortgang [5:49]
- Avskum [4:44]
- Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen [6:15]
Formats
- CD (Digipak)
- Limited edition silver coloured vinyl LP in a heavy-duty gatefold sleeve
- Black LP in a heavy-duty gatefold sleeve
- Digital
Handsigned copies of both the silver & regular LPs will be available exclusively on the Mork band store … you’ll need to be quick to secure one of these in demand items.
Mork will be supporting the release of Dypet with live shows and festival appearances, the following have been confirmed so far with more to come
01.04.23 – Rockklubben, Porsgrunn, Norway
06.04.23- Inferno Metal Festival, Oslo, Norway
29.04.23- Walpurgirnacht Festival, Berlin, Germany
13 – 15.07.23 – In Flammen Open Air, Germany
09.08.23- Brutal Assault, Jaromer, Czech republic
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