MORTAJAS – Mortajas II
MORTAJAS – Mortajas II
Sun And Moon Records
Release Date: 18/10/23
Running Time: 42:51
Review by Oli Gonzalez
6/10
MORTAJAS. A Chilean doom metal act formed during the year the world shut down, 2020, comprises members of other doom metal acts in the area, to create a supergroup feel. Their latest offering, “Mortajas II,” comes just before the band embark upon a European tour, their first ever. Exciting times! Time for a sneak preview of what they may be playing on this tour!
Some album highlights for me. Firstly, ‘Miedo y Dolor’ (fear and pain). Bit of a slow start, and the relatively slow production value gives it a very retro feel, much like a throwback to the very early Black Sabbath days. The wailing groaning style vocals also enhance this Black Sabbath illusion. Sadly, I was losing a bit of interest – but roughly 4 minutes in wow! That was worth the wait. Marcos and Sergio unleash some glorious guitar work. Simple in parts, but that’s all that’s needed and it’s brutally effective. ‘Bajo Un Nuevo Sol’ (under a new sun) is another song of two halves. I did get a sense of anxiety that it was just going to be the same riffs over and over again, though the tempo is much faster and upbeat towards the end, a clear crescendo for the track. This doesn’t have a strict doom feel to it, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. ‘He Perdonado’ (I have forgiven) is perhaps the strongest on the album, and clearly the darkest. Again, for some outstanding guitar work and solos! The soaring atmospheric tones are glorious! Well worth a listen.
So, in an album just over 40 minutes long, those are my only real highlights. I love doom metal, and my peers know I love listening to songs that are beyond conventional in length. Take Bell Witch for example, and their magnus opus ‘Mirror Reaper’. In this 83 minute behemoth, the listener is taken on a journey through emotions of sorrow, despair, and never truly finding closure through subtle manipulation of melodic structures. I’m honestly not getting anything like that from MORTAJAS. Even listening to a 10 minute song is difficult! It’s one thing to have long drawn out passages and repeating elements. But this only works if you’re showing the listener that it’s progressing into something greater. Otherwise, it can come across as just filler.
As the saying goes, great things come to those who wait. Sometimes though, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. I’ll let you decide, come release day, which you think is most appropriate.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Miedo y Dolor
02. Las Palabras del Silencio
03. Bajo un Nuevo Sol
04. Perdido en un Mar
05. He Perdonado
LINE-UP:
Marcos Contreras Sanhueza – Vocals / Guitar
Sergio Álvarez Jiménez – Guitar
Daniel Pérez Saa – Bass
Rodrigo Figueroa Benavides – Drums
LINKS:
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