Alkerdeel - Morinde review
| Band: | Alkerdeel |
| Album: | Morinde |
| Style: | Black metal, Sludge metal |
| Release date: | February 2012 |
01. Winterteens
02. Horsesaw
03. Hessepikn
04. Du Levande
Back in 1992, Darkthrone released the first part of a trilogy of legendary albums, A Blaze In The Northern Sky. It was notorious for its riffs that recalled their past as a death metal band yet played in full black metal fashion. Now, 20 years later, one band decides to take this teaching and use it for its own depraved purposes. Beware folks, things are about to get nasty.
Instead of death metal, what the Belgians from Alkerdeel are doing is playing their doom and sludge tunes under a black metal blanket, together with some lesser droning sounds here and there. That's already a fair warning of how dense this is. What's special about their sound is how the mix of genres is so homogenous when you look at the big picture. There isn't any style that takes over another yet you can stop any time and look at each tree instead of the forest (or shitty swamp in this case...) and easily point out the different parts that fit in this wicked album.
This very natural sound is enhanced by the production. Making the experience as real as possible is crucial here and after seeing them at Roadburn, I have to say they achieved their goal with flying colours. The small amount of takes in order to give it a "live" vibe is admirable if you look at the sheer length of some tracks and the brilliant performance, where everyone gives their 101%. While the vocals rarely let go off the insanity rate, the drumming is simply relentless at times and the guitars create a mesmerizing wall of sound with punch-to-the-throat riffs... yet it was the bass that won. I rarely hear an album that puts so much emphasis on that instrument. The warm and pulsing sound of it contributes with such a great layer that works nicely with the band's harsher moments.
Noticed how I wrote "some tracks" a while ago? On Morinde, not only the style is eclectic, but also the length of the tracks - which is nowhere near what you would call "balanced". At almost 42 minutes the album consists of songs roughly 13, 2, 6 and 20 minutes long respectively, yet oddly enough it all makes sense. Every song justifies its length and makes the most of it whether it is by short bursts of rocking riffs, batshit crazy blasting intensity, slow and painful sludge or by droning and highly hypnotic passages.
Released near the end of February, Morinde is already one of the best extreme metal albums of the year. Highly recommended for anyone that views him/herself as a fan of sick and filthy music.
 | Written on 30.04.2012 by A lazy reviewer but he is so cute you'd forgive him for it. |
Comments
Comments: 20
Visited by: 299 users
| Nosurper Stinky Lips Posts: 442 From: USA  |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands  |
Absolutely great and at times stunning album and live they are even more mesmerizing.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| The Turbanator Posts: 1900 From: Malaysia  |
These guys give me multiple boners.
---- In the name of forests; In the name of stars; In the name of all the seas; In the name of storms... Proud sons of ancient nation; Proud sons of sacred song in the wind; Proud sons behind a mirror of ice who told... Fathers of the icy age!!
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| InnerSelf proofread free Posts: 2641 From: Germany  |
Saw you, Joe and Marcel rave about this in the album's thread but forgot all about because the exams are near and shit is about to get serious. Must get this as soon as I can after this nice little review 
---- He who is not bold enough to be stared at from across the abyss is not bold enough to stare into it himself.
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| Paz Posts: 3910 From: Poland  |
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Posts: 5245 From: USA  |
Lol, can't stop smiling. So fucking raw yet new & fresh. Thanks Doc for the rec.
---- rekt
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden  |
Written by tea[m]ster on 19.05.2012 at 17:29 Your welcome, glad (and a bit surprised) you liked it! It's definitely one of those raw yet very fresh sounding albums.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Oaken Hipster Posts: 1322 From: Syria  |
This is my first sludge album ever, and after the first listen of it, I really don't know what to say. I just don't like it, as in REALLY don't like. I think I missed the point of it. Tomorrow I'll give it a focused spin.
---- In that case, man is only air as well.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by Oaken on 09.08.2012 at 01:17 There is sludge in it but it is not really sludge because of all the black and doom and even some slight death. But thios album album is totally awesome and totally not for the faint of heart. And live it is even dirtier.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8973 From: Canada  |
Written by Oaken on 09.08.2012 at 01:17 Try Bongripper's Jippie Killer.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden |
Written by Oaken on 09.08.2012 at 01:17 Same as Marcel... This isn't pure sludge which I think I made perfectly clear on my review. It has black, sludge, doom and even some slight touches of death and drone all over it. Shame that you don't like it. This is one of this year's finest extreme metal albums and live is indeed a whole new level.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Oaken Hipster Posts: 1322 From: Syria |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 09.08.2012 at 01:23 The fusion makes it even more complicated. Written by X-Ray Rod on 09.08.2012 at 01:38 I'll listen to it again, and I'm sure it'll grow on me. I hated Deafheaven's debut a lot after the first few listens, but now, it's my favorite album.
---- In that case, man is only air as well.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada  |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 09.08.2012 at 01:28 Hippie Killer* And not really a good album to suggest to someone completely new to sludge, to be honest. For the same reason recommending this album to a sludge noob would be unwise - it's not pure sludge.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8973 From: Canada |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.08.2012 at 05:53 I new someone would call me on the not pure sludge thing, but I mean, nowadays, what IS pure sludge  I think it's a good entry level album, it's super light, and just really good 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 09.08.2012 at 06:05 To be honest I'd probably start with the classics, like Acid Bath or Eyehategod or even Crowbar if you wanna get into the doom-ish sludge bands.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8973 From: Canada |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.08.2012 at 06:08 Well those are all great suggestions, so have at 'er Oaken.
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| Oaken Hipster Posts: 1322 From: Syria |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 09.08.2012 at 01:38 After a few more listens, I think it's quite decent, yet nothing mindblowing. I would give it a 7 ATM, but I'll listen to it more.
---- In that case, man is only air as well.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Posts: 18274 From: Sweden |
Written by Oaken on 10.08.2012 at 16:51 Well, tastes differ... To me this is a brilliant mix. Original, well played, magnificent use of the bass and all the genres are blended perfectly to the point that there's no big distinction between sounds. Definitely one of the albums I would give as an example of truly "organic" sound.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Oaken Hipster Posts: 1322 From: Syria |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 10.08.2012 at 21:09 I agree with you that this is a great album, but I guess it isn't made for me.
---- In that case, man is only air as well.
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| Hallford9000 Posts: 242 From: Germany  |
I've done my listening through it and i must say that i completely agree with the review. Would love to see them live.
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