CoC : Mortiis - Crypt of the Wizard : Review

Mortiis - _Crypt of the Wizard_
(Dark Dungeon Music, 1996)
by: Henry Akeley (7.5 out of 10)

More good stuff here from one of our favorite trolls. (Or is he some kind of bat creature now? I'm not sure...) This time around, he of the pronounced proboscis prances through ten songs adding up to about sixty minutes of music -- quite a departure from the usual Mortiis operandi of two twenty-minute tracks per CD. But while _Crypt of the Wizard_ certainly contains more musical variety than do the older recordings by the snaggle-toothed one, it also (and as a result) lacks the sense of vast scope, constantly-thickening ambience, and epic climax which makes earlier albums like the excellent _Keiser Av En Dimension Utjent_ so enjoyable. Thus, personally, I find those earlier, more momentous endeavors more satisfying than this new collection of much shorter dark dungeon ditties. But on the other pointy-nailed hand, _Crypt of the Wizard_ does showcase a broader range of tones and moods -- all the way from the grim, grandiose majesty typical of those older recordings (see the first three songs) to downright melodic playfulness (see "Fanget I Krystal" for one of several examples). A few tracks are yawners, and there is the occasional overly hokey melody, but on the whole this is a pretty cool release, one which I found myself liking more and more with repeated listens. And in keeping with Mortiis tradition, wonderful packaging provides an excellent visual complement to the music.

(article published 1/1/1998)

CHATS
9/23/2004	J Smit	Mortiis: The Gloves Are Off
12/9/1999	A McKay	Mortiis: The Shadow's Soul Between Obscurity and Oblivion
10/11/1996	S Hoeltzel	Mortiis: Mind Melding With Mortiis

ALBUMS
9/23/2004	J Smit	8.5	Mortiis - The Grudge
10/19/2001	A McKay	6.5	Mortiis - The Smell of Rain
3/5/2000	P Schwarz	6	Mortiis - Fodt Til a Herske

GIGS
12/9/1999	G Filicetti	Mortiis / Christian Death / Godhead / Diet of Worms	The Black Metal Opera Arriveth