Mortuous: Among the Lost / Mors Immortalis

If you’re one of those people who quickly notice mistakes, you might assume that I should not have repeated three of the song titles in my track listing below. Before you ask me to fix it, remember that this release is really a compilation of two demos and that they both have some of the same songs. Tracks 1-6 come from the band’s 2012 demo while tracks 7-10 come from their 2009 demo. Although I originally listened to this release from start to finish, I found it more interesting to compare the old versions of the songs to the newer versions. Sure, I had to jump back and forth a bit, but it was worth hearing the band’s sonic progression. Even though I preferred the 2012 versions, some fans will definitely like the 2009 versions better because they are so raw and so stripped back. Whatever you prefer, there’s no denying that Mortuous is a solid death metal band that writes killer songs. If nothing else, listen to the “Intro� because it features some of the band’s buzziest guitars and gives listeners an excellent glimpse at the foreboding music soon to follow.

Both of these demos have been out of print for a long time and so it’s nice to have them available in one place. If you are at all interested in this band, I suggest checking out both versions of “The Eternal Return� and “External Deformities.� Both songs are excellent and will certainly make you want to hear more of what this band comes up with. The opening riff to “External Deformities� was enough to hook me. If you like that, keep listening. Mortuous knows how to play death metal. As you listen, be sure to check out “Beyond Flesh,� especially if you have the band’s 2018 debut Through Wilderness handy since a reworked version of that song opens the album. The demo version lacks the acoustic guitar playing at the beginning but is no less powerful overall.

Mortuous is a terrific band with a solid reputation. This release gives us some insight into their songs and their songwriting. Hopefully, the band will give us a new full-length sometime soon. As of this writing, the band is supposed to tour outside of the United States but things have likely changed because of the coronavirus outbreak. If the band cancels the tour, this release is definitely something you can enjoy at home.

Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. External Deformities
3. The Eternal Return
4. Obscured Animation
5. Subjugation of Will
6. Among the Lost
7. External Deformities
8. The Eternal Return
9. Obscured Animation
10. Beyond Flesh

Added: March 17th 2020
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 754
Language: english

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