Band:	Morta Skuld
Album:	Creation Undone
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	February 2024

01. We Rise We Fall
02. The End Of Reason
03. Painful Conflict
04. Unforeseen Obstacles
05. Perfect Prey
06. Soul Piercing Sorrow
07. Into Temptation
08. Self Destructive Emotions
09. Oblivion
10. By Design

Sorta skulled.

2024 is shaping up to be a stellar year for fans of death metal, with a plethora of bands putting their names down as having new material due, to go with a world that is ripe for inspiration (well, I guess that's the only upside I can find to humanity's existential dread). Morta Skuld set out their stall early with a record that is enjoyable and worthy of finding time to listen to in Creation Undone.

Where I found Suffer For Nothing to be an unsatisfying record, Creation Undone sounds far more inspired and filled with more purpose (I'd say life, but this is death metal, so more death? Answers on a postcard, please) than they have done in years. Morta Skuld have produced a record that shows they need not rely on their 90s output to burnish their reputation.

Creation Undone masters an oft overlooked tool in modern death metal, that being the greater impact of shifting tempos and intensity over all-out brutality from the off. Tracks like "Painful Conflict" and "Oblivion" glide in and out of high-tempo sections to dwell in slower, restrained passages, offering listeners a break before jumping right back in with sonic beatdowns aplenty. Through all this, Gregor's growls maintain the OSDM vibe that is a staple of Morta Skuld.

The drum work of House throughout the album is one of the Creation Undone's best elements; "Perfect Prey" is one of several tracks that effectively function as drum showcases with songs written around them, and the amount of adrenaline he pumps into these songs elevates them several-fold. That isn't to say the rest of the band are phoning it in; "Soul Piercing Sorrow" has some good guitar work that hits the spot and shows this to be a band effort. The only thing lacking on the part of Gregor and Willecke is some riffs that stand out from the blur, with much of their work good, if generic.

The two biggest pitfalls with Creation Undone lie with the production and songwriting. The limp production of the album lacks the power to really elevate these tracks; "Into Temptation" lacks the necessary sonic spark to tear from the speakers and bludgeon you with its metallic heft. This in turn feeds into the second problem, namely that Creation Undone lacks the killer moment(s) to take the album to the next level. It is an enjoyable record, and certainly a step above their last effort, but it could use a few more hooks and hits to really leave a dent in your grey matter.

Morta Skuld make strides in the right direction with Creation Undone and produce an album that will whet the bloodlust of death metal fans in what is shaping up to be a year of stellar releases. While it is unlikely to be anyone's main course, the band offer one hell of an appetiser.