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| #FOR FANS OF: Atmospheric Black |
Sweden’s obscure project Morcaint was created in 2008 and it seems that Ulvtyr and Heruhim, the two founding members, composed a debut full-length, which sadly never saw the light of the day. The project was put on hold during a long of time, but fortunately it came to live some time ago and managed to catch the attention of the respected Swedish label Nordvis Produktion, which always gives you a hint of the project’s quality.
The aforementioned unreleased debut album doesn’t seem to be recorded in this new era, but Morcaint has released its debut EP which consists of only two new songs, although the quality of both compositions makes me feel a reasonable hype for an, hopefully, upcoming debut album. 'Elessar' is the title of the EP, and as you probably guessed, it is a direct mention to the world of Tolkien. Personally, I am never fed up with bands taking inspiration from Middle Earth, so I was more than happy to check out what this project can offer. Morcaint’s music is firmly rooted in the atmospheric black metal sub-genre, which I consider quite appropriate for Tolkien’s fantastic universe. Musically, Morcaint achieves an excellent balance between the expected atmosphere, and the heaviness you could expect from an extreme metal band. The first track "Elessar" immediately shows that with a captivating atmospheric intro followed by a great tremolo riffing, which is a perfect example of how atmospheric black metal should sound. The combination of mid-tempo and headbanging inducing riffs, and the always welcomed blast-beats make the song very entertaining. Both the vocals, with the classic distant sound in its production, and the drums, sound clear and powerful. The production has a raw touch, but it is enough clear and well-balanced which gives an organic touch to the songs, a characteristic that I consider a correct approach for this music. The keys have a reasonable presence, as you can hear them through the song, which includes certain moments of a bigger prominence, where they truly shine. The second "O Lórien" is a bit longer, which gives a greater room to introduce more variations and, in this case, longer mid-tempo sections where the atmosphere is absolutely captivating. The simple yet atmospheric hypnotic keys enhance the ambience and gives a truly solemn touch to the song. The classic riffing is solid, and it is a great example that there is no need for experimentation where things are done with great taste. The intensity of the song is increased towards its final section, with a marvellous combination of relentless fury and beautiful atmospheric arrangements, that remain in loneliness to close this great track.
In conclusion, Morcaint’s debut EP 'Elessar' is an excellent debut and a fine example of how atmospheric black must sound. As it only has two songs it leaves the listener wanting more, much more, so I do hope that this time the project will remain active and will release in a near future its debut full-length. (Alain González Artola)
(Nordvis Produktion - 2023)
Score: 82