Memento Mori - 2022
7/10
Last year, I was blown away by the sheer intensity and raw tactics of Morbific’s debut album, Ominous Seep Of Putridity. Upon hearing that they had another one barely over a year following, you can imagine the excitement that reigned over me. This Finnish group crafts its sound around an unforgiving and dry dose of desolate stench. For the most part, they would use the noisier atmosphere to their advantage, which is also applied to Squirm Beyond The Mortal Realm.
Straightforward construction is inevitably the focus, borrowing much inspiration from the classics of the genre. It’s something that can usually fare well for a new band, but will run a bit stale if not expanded upon. This isn’t the case for Squirm Beyond The Mortal Realm, however I’ll admit that some of the charm that the debut beheld has simmered away. The purely robust and noisy layering gets a bit flattened, especially with the drums not having the same ferocious presence they had before. There’s also a step-back in diversity, feeling like this may have been rushed a little, recycling from the prior album; sloppier vocals were another end result of that.
Don’t mistake this for me disliking it, though. The groove factor was retained very well, and the use of repetition is still stronger than ever. “Suicide Sanctum” has loads of treasure, a beefier tune that boasts superior leads and memorable rhythm passages. The wicked sharp and fast fun of “Meth Mansion Murders” is also notable, shaking up the continuous tread of chunky foundation. Even the bassy transition of the instrumental “Initiation To Oblivion” felt refreshing.
I’d hardly say that this is a fluke, and Morbific’s second record is certainly worth hearing. It just feels a bit rushed, holding little light in comparison to its preceding counterpart. All I really think that’s needed is time, as this shows signs of a band taking the ferocious angle of disgust and looking for a way to cement their identity. I look forward to what comes next.
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