ALBUM REVIEW: Katedralen- Mork

Tomas Ericksen’s MORK has been unleashing old school black metal since 2004 and fans have flocked to him for staying true to the roots of the genre birthed by fellow Norwegians MAYHEM and DARKTHRONE. Now new album Katedralen, following on from their 2019 opus Det Svarte Juv, takes a small step out of that familiar abyss and into an intricately new void. Whilst still a die-hard black metal record, subtle tweaks in production and a change of pace in song writing gives MORK a subtle but fresh coat of corpse paint. 

Each MORK outing has slowly built upon the first album’s blueprint of unfiltered raw black metal with some adding new dynamics to instrumentals and some just improving the sound quality in general (a bold move in the world of “kvlt” black metal where primitive production is king). Kateralen definitely takes the biggest sonic step forward yet, with guitars being sharp and precise rather than the chaotic buzzsaw heard on previous records. Drums are steadily and gracefully galloping underneath tracks instead of sounding like rapidly approaching explosions.

With Katedralen, MORK frees themselves from the claustrophobic traditions of ‘true’ black metal and open themselves into a vast nightscape. Sure, they run the risk of alienating the purists who only indulge in the harshest of production but they also open themselves up to those who prefer the later more polished side of the genre. It’s still blistering and abrasive but it’s much more attainable and accessible than previous records, making it an excellent starting point for the band and even black metal in general. 

This production really lends itself to Ericksen’s more grandiose way of song-writing on this record. The title Katedralen translates into ‘cathedral’ and that shows with riffs that feel much more monolithic as songs like Lysbaereren build like gigantic spires, reaching a crescendo with spiked ends which stab a blackened sky. Katedralen also surprises fans with some guest spots in the form of DARKTHRONE‘s Nocturno Culto who graces Svartmalt with his iconic black metal howls in stark contrast to Eero Pöyry of doom legends SKEPTICISM who lays down dirge-like funeral chants on the nine-minute closer De Fortapte Sjelers Katedral.

There’s also a surprising catchiness to Katedralen, whether it be in the SATYRICON influenced riffs all over the album or warbling choruses of tracks like Arv which feels as close to a single as black metal can get. It’s not a black metal record that requires a hundred listens to digest which as the genre constantly expands in experimentation and atmospherics is refreshing. 

Overall Katedralen doesn’t push MORK out of the old school black metal box but definitely skirts around the edges as they refine themselves. Regardless of those parameters, it’s a very well polished and entertaining record and a must for even casual fans of the sub-genre.

Rating: 8/10 

Katedralen is set for release March 5th via Peaceville Records. 

Like MORK on Facebook.