Description
PROMOTIONAL ONLY means issued by record company in very limited quantity and sent to selected Industry professionals ONLY for promotional consideration/airplay. Never for sale and highly collectable releases
Promo in promo paper sleeve
Madder Mortem are probably one of Norway’s best kept secrets and its a bit puzzling, because the Madders music is magical. Hopefully Red In Tooth And Claw is the album to lift Madder Mortem out of obscurity. Ever since dramatically shifting gears for their second album All Flesh Is Grass, Agnete and co. have produced some of the most original, diverse, and well-written progressive metal in the business, and Red In Tooth And Claw is no exception. Madder Mortem‘s style is not easy to describe succinctly; switching effortlessly from crushing grooves to uncomfortable dissonance to quiet contemplation or soaring beauty, they are experts at manipulating your emotions with their skilful song-craft. The one-two punch of “Blood On The Sand” and “If I Could” that open the record showcase the Madders at their emotive peak, with off-kilter timing and uncomfortable harmonies building towards dramatic releases of tension. Though each runs for over five minutes, the shimmering guitars and arpeggiated bass-lines create a continuous sense of motion meaning that neither seems too long. The remaining tracks are equally powerful. Each is gifted with a distinctive personality, from the danceable groove of “Fallow Season” to the heavy, creeping riffs and Devin Townsend-isms of “Pitfalls” and “Stone for Eyes” to the subtle bossa nova rhythm in “Returning to the End of the Free World” to the dreamy lullaby that is “The Whole Where Your Heart Belongs.” This breadth of ideas could easily lead to a garbled mess, but Madder Mortem consistently fashion them into well-crafted songs. Their distinctive riffing style is a factor here, as is Agnete Kirkevaag’s incredible voice. Agnete is one of the most underrated singers in metal: she has fantastic power, tone and range, and her delivery is always spot on. Her vocal lines are invariably inventive, whether she’s soaring over the heavy, angular riffage of “Parasites” or soothing you to sleep in “The Whole Where Your Heart Belongs.” Red In Tooth And Claw is a fantastic return after their six year pause. Those in the know will already have snapped this baby up, but if you are new to the band, it should go straight to the top of your shopping list. Madder Mortem have the potential to appeal to fans of anyone from Muse to Meshuggah, and if there is any justice in the world, Red In Tooth And Claw will see them take their rightful seat at the table of prog-metal royalty.
Track list:
1. Blood On The Sand
2. If I Could
3. Fallow Season
4. Pitfalls
5. All The Giants Are Dead
6. Returning To The End Of The World
7. Parasites
8. Stones For Eyes
9. The Whole Where Your Heart Belongs
10. Underdogs