Ninth one for Mors Principium Est!
In 2025, Ville Viljanen (vocals), Jori Haukio (lead guitar, ex-Depressed Mode), Jarkko Kokko (guitar, Arc Spectra), Teemu Heinola (bass, Arc Spectra, Depressed Mode), and Marko Tommila (drums, ex-Depressed Mode) signed with the new label Perception for the release of their album Darkness Invisible.
The album opens with Of Death, the first track with an ominous introduction that quickly gives way to intertwined melodies and then virulent, catchy riffs topped with wild screams. Harmonics intensify on the majestic choruses, but also on the piercing Heavy Metal-inspired solo that leads into Venator, where raw rage resurfaces, thanks in particular to the regular blast beats that accompany our progression. The song is also heavier and more chaotic in certain passages, reinforcing the contrast with its orchestrations, which take on another dimension with Monuments, where they make the track quite imposing while giving it a more airy and relatively calm atmosphere. Guitars also contribute to this feeling of lightness, but there is a more intense burst of energy before the final, which leads into Tenebrae Latebra, a theatrical interlude where keyboards, vocals, and choirs blend together to offer us a brief respite before Summoning The Dark sweeps us away in its tidal wave. The track marks the return of aggressive saturation and anguished screams, but also long lead sections that eventually carry us to Beyond The Horizon, which offers us a moment of respite before reigniting its fury. The rhythm remains fairly steady, imposed by very energetic drums that the other instruments easily follow, slowing down only for a few majestic moments, but the song gets a second wind with its crushing break, then The Rivers Of Avernus carries us away in its wave of dissonant harmonics launched at full speed. The track is very catchy, drawing on modern influences to set itself apart from the others before returning to much more old-school guitars, as on In Sleep There Is Peace, which benefits from a very recognizable staccato approach coupled with a sharp sound. The band gives us one last respite with An Aria Of The Damned, where the choirs return to accompany the piano, then All Life Is Evil returns to heaviness via imposing saturation that incorporates a few voices in the background, but also an enchanting duet with that powerful female voice. The song ends on a melancholic note, followed by violins that herald the Finnish rage of Makso Mita? Makso, the last composition that redoubles its efforts to make us experience a veritable hurricane of raw power that descends upon us at full speed to close the album.
A well-known figure on the melodic death scene in Finland and internationally, Mors Principium Est still knows how to handle violence. Darkness Invisible may offer us the rage we expect, but it also knows how to surprise us at times with interesting additions.
85/100
