
Info
- Band(s): Mortal Wound
- Label(s): Dark Descent Records, Extremely Rotten Productions, Me Saco un Ojo Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2024
- Review Date: January 12, 2025
- Author(s): Appeleon
Mortal Wound have been around since 2018. Since their inception they’ve released a demo and a split album. 2024 saw the band releasing their debut album ‘The Anus Of The World’, released by Dark Descend Records (digital/CD), Me Saco Un Ojo Records (digital/vinyl) and Extremely Rotten Productions (tape). It won’t come as surprise for those familiar with these labels that Mortal Wound fit the OSDM bill perfectly.
It’s a fact that the underground Metal scene is flooding with bands emulating the Death Metal ‘spirit’ from the late 80’s and early 90’s. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for a band to a) stand out from the flock whilst at the same time b) being strictly limited by the urge to operate between set boundaries of what OSDM is supposed to sound like. Does Mortal Wound stand out from the flock and why should you pick ‘The Anus Of The World’ above the abundantly available competing albums?
Mortal Wound have actually nailed it with the production of their debut. It really sounds as if it could have been released three decades ago. The sound is very organic with the muffled drums that, only just, cut through the mix with its snappy snare. The guitars are thick and articulated, and this is important for Mortal Wound, as they actually manage to stand out with their advanced levels of riffing. Among the more typical Death Metal riffs, there are quite a bit of technical thrills thrown in for good measure. Some digging on the Metal Archives reveals that, unsurprisingly, the guitarists have ties to the Technical Death Metal band Teeth.
Another aspect that makes ‘The Anus Of The World’ stand out are the movie samples. Lots of samples are used as intro’s, outro’s and even as stand-alone tracks. In total there’re four songs containing only samples, or samples backed by eerie clean guitar parts. Samples can be put to good use to further enhance the atmosphere that an album is trying to purvey. However, an overabundance of samples only distracts from the listening experience. Listeners must judge for themselves where to draw the line. In my opinion, the amount of samples that Mortal Wound has crammed into their full-length is off-putting.
The ‘’real’’ songs are really solid. These guys are no newbies and truly understand the art of songwriting. Riffs flow together like a knife through butter. Each track has a clear, and often memorable, main riff, making it easy to quickly tell the songs apart. For the majority of the time, the band shifts between parts with high velocity, mid-paced technical parts and more doomy parts (often backed up by solos à la Slayer). What’s more difficult to tell apart are the lyrics. Sam Shriver’s growls are low and limited in range. He varies in his delivery slightly, depending on the part of the song he’s in. He’s likely to bark as low as he can during the verses, but steps it up a notch during choruses or breaks. These slight enunciations are needed and furthermore contribute to the song’s structure.
So, do Mortal Wound stand out from their contemporaries? They do actually, with their fretboard wizardry and the overuse of samples on their debut. Should you give this album a spin? Sure, ‘The Anus Of The World’ will fulfill every OSDM-fan’s need, but skip the four tracks (#3, #5, #8, #10) consisting of solely samples and clean guitars.
Dark Descent Records
- Country: USA
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube
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Me Saco un Ojo Records
- Country: United Kingdom
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp