Madder Mortem – Eight Ways (2009)

I can always count on Madder Mortem to enthrall me with their amazingly bizarre music and “Eight Ways” is not the exception. After two years since their last release “Desiderata” this Norwegian band is back with another masterpiece that will please all fans of the band.

Madder Mortem sound is very ‘bizarre’ to say the least, but I don’t mean this in a freak show kind of way, but instead I mean that they manage to fuse and combine so many different elements of so many genres (not necessarily from metal), and create some of the most hauntingly beautiful songs. They are also a band that most people would either love or hate I don’t think there is any middle point in linking them.

Agnete’s vocals fill this album with her characteristic depressive style and magically captivate who ever the listener is since they are so powerful and emotional. The jazzy feeling in this album makes he vocal style shine even more in my opinion.

Musically Madder Mortem creates a perfect canvas of dark, atmospheric and overall hauntingly beautiful music that is greatly accented by Agnete’s vocals and choirs. But the music still sounds very heavy thanks to the distorted guitars that provide different melodies to the songs.

The jazzy passages here and there are one of my favorite attributes of the music, something that I haven’t heard since the Third And The Mortal and give the music that amazing originality that Madder Mortem is known for.

The overall production of the album is crystal clear allowing us to capture every single detail that Madder Mortem imprints in their music. If you are looking for music that is very well made and very different to whatever else is out there you should check this album out, you will not be disappointed.

Release: June 16, 2009

Country: Norway