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On disc: Morgul



- The Horror Grandeur - Amir Djawadi - 3 stars
- The Horror Grandeur - Claudia Ehrhardt - 6 stars
- Sketch Of Supposed Murderer - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
- Sketch Of Supposed Murderer - Volker Raabe - 5 stars


http://home.no.net/morgul







Sketch Of Supposed Murderer

Sketch Of Supposed Murderer
(Century Media - 2001)


The Norwegian duo started in 1990 as a black metal band and released two albums, but with a change of their music and signing to Century Media Records, they got more attention from fans and media. These days Morgul play a kind of dark metal with influences of black metal, industrial and some folk elements from Eastern European countries. On the first album for Century Media The Horror Grandeur they started their way. Personally I prefer tracks where they leave their black metal roots, e.g. Machine or the opener Violent Perfect Illusions. The track Of Murder & Misfortune starts like a extreme black metal song, but soon slow down and creates a dark, depressive atmosphere before another black metal part expresses hate and misfortune. Again Morgul create a desolate, blackened scenario. If you are in deep depressions, this is the soundtrack of your nightmare!
Only the Kiss cover She doesn't really fit into, but it's an interesting interpretation and doesn't really disturb the flow of the album, coz it's the final track.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Sketch Of Supposed Murderer

Sketch Of Supposed Murderer
(Century Media - 2001)


The one man show of Jack D Ripper is called Morgul. And like the last album The Horror Grandeur this output of the Norwegian will split the fans of black metal into 2 parties and the critics will vary. The new album Sketch Of Supposed Murderer will also get differ re­actions. This man - and his music - is extreme. He writes songs which are close to Samael - catchy and well structured like Violent Perfect Illusions and Machine - and then there are extreme, sick and hateful compositions like Dead For A While and Of Murder And Mis­fortune. Industrial sounds and some orchestral parts he used as well. A strange, bizarre album! If you listen too many times, you might need to see a doctor, coz this will drive you nuts!
At least there is a cover version of Kiss' She... More then enough for me, Mr. Ripper!


5 stars

Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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The Horror Grandeur

The Horror Grandeur
(Century Media - 2000)


It starts melodically and unnoticed, but soon everything changed. After about 2 ½ minutes it gets harder and faster!
Grunting vocals and floating melodies teared up by violin parts and harmonic vocals are entertaining the listener for about 45 minutes.
Morgul have been founded in 1990 in Sweden. At that time it was drummer Hex and Jack D Ripper who was responsible for the rest of the sound and is these days the only member of Morgul. Demo tapes and a record deal with some releases soon made them a well-known secret in the metal scene. Even if they are part of the black metal genre there are audible influences of bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest or Metallica. Terje Refsnes is known for his work with bands like Theatre Of Tragedy, Tristania and many more and he added a personal touch to the production.
For sure this is a bright spot in the monotony of nowadays black metal bands...


3 stars

Amir Djawadi
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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The Horror Grandeur

The Horror Grandeur
(Century Media - 2000)


The band of Jack D Ripper and drummer Hex been founded in the turn of years 1990/1991 in the countryside near Oslo. The release of 2 demo tapes got the duo a deal with Napalm Records. Lost Of Shadows Grey and Parody Of The Mass got the band a good reputation in the black metal scene, a hidden treasure.
In the underground Morgul became the alternative to Dimmu Borgir for many black metal fans! In 1999 the band signed with Century Media and started working on new material. The new songs break the boundaries of the black metal scene and got a larger variety. The 2 dark souls parted due to personal reasons and Jack D Ripper is now responsible for Morgul. Morgul managed to step into a new musical ground with their new compositions. The dense atmosphere of The Horror Grandeur has a lot in common with gloomy soundtracks and dark classical arrangements. How to describe this music? You have to listen to it!
To quote the biography: "The 7 featured songs will easily drift you away into flattering of emotions starting on moody keyboard-parts, followed by super-intense black metal-blastings which then lead you to wicked passages with lamented vocals in the best atmospheric tradition of Celtic Frost's masterpiece Into The Pandemonium. Sometimes they are even supported by violins and end up with really catchy metal-riffing with hateful walls of vocals. Indeed, there is not a single boring and cliché moment here." No better way to describe!


6 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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           ©2008-2010 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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