Mork – Monolitt
Release Date: 19th June 2026
Label: Peaceville
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Extreme Metal.
FFO: Kvaen, Darkthrone, Taake, Djevel, Mayhem, Enslaved.
Review By: Rick Farley
Norwegian black metal dwellers, Mork, created originally by Thomas Eriksen in 2004 but didn’t release the band’s debut album Isebakke until 2013, now returns with another phenomenal record forged within the darkest depths of hell. With the focus on piercing, jagged riff forward, groove laden black metal, Mork takes their aggressive style another step forward on the band’s eighth full length album, Monolitt, with a crisper, fuller production and a more stylized stormy sound, the band looks to evolve their brutish, frosty songwriting structures towards the unfiltered essence of traditional black metal. Not as much lo-fi rawness as previous records within the sound itself but the roots of twisty riffage seem to steer the band with a focused percussive energy that is “god forbid” an easier listen or rather catchier for the folks who may be on the fence about black metal. This is not a different band by any means, and it is no less vicious or nasty, truthfully it sounds even more foundationally caustic, but it does feel built for a larger audience. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned, black metal has been through the ringer of copy and paste mediocrity and bland old school worship for so long, albums like this despite being still familiar, hits a little harder sometimes. There is a stronger, more precise balance in memorable songcraft and brutality with harsher yet hookier riffs. The songwriting from Mork has always been top-notch and that doesn’t change here.
Thomas Eriksen has basically been a one-man band from the very beginning always being on the cusp of experimentation yet retaining all the classic values and stylistic aspects of 90s Norwegian black metal. The use of atmospherics with progressive flourishes still stands triumphant within Mork’s sound but the grittiness and intensity has levelled up. Tracks like opener Under Vekten Av Verden get right to the point with thrashy, angular riffs that spit serrated hellfire. Directing the onslaught unswerving and violently into the side of a building, there isn’t a lot of delicacy until Thomas uses broken up tremolo picked chords that create a bit of less snarling, shadowy catchiness. His gruff, shrieky growls sound like a demon transforming into a cataclysmic, spectral beast with carnage filled, malicious intent. The storminess rages back and forth until reaching a sickening, stompy, rhythmic riff and beat that pummels through the earth with great ease. If you don’t respond to this section without grim faced nastiness and unrestrained mayhem, you’re probably dead. Inn i en annen sfære immediately starts with a warped, melancholic clean guitar and airy synths underneath creating the sense that something is looming. A traditional heavy metal inspired crunchiness furthers the building tension until it reaches its climax of weighty atmosphere and spellbinding melody. Searing tremolo picked guitar lines and gruelling blast beats steer the aggressively forward moving track to rapid pace, the fluttery soundscapes drift between atmospherically dense and ferocious intensity. Soothing clean vocals soar just underneath the mix during certain parts of the song that enhance this track to higher levels of emotional depth.
Again, like all the other wicked tracks on Monolitt, the guitar riff DNA is bold and the biggest focus taking almost a thrashy approach to black metal without being actual “blackened thrash.” On every level this is a masterpiece in songwriting of savagery with a ton of black heart and insane memorability. Destructive blast beats, tremolo picked nightmarish horror, and consuming atmospherics, it’s all here.
Honestly, there are no true adjectives that are worthy enough to truly describe the utter nastiness found on this record, so my suggestion is getting the hell off this review and getting this sickening beast in your ears immediately. Just thank me later.
(5 / 5)
