Norwegian masters Mortem return with a new ode to the dark: “Mørketid”. Combining brooding, mid-paced monumental riffs with bursts of hyperspeed black metal, the album marks a clear progression from their 2019 debut, “Ravnsart”. Across eight tracks of savage, eerie, and often epic black metal, the band is joined by the indomitable keyboard textures of Sverd, Hellhammer’s unmistakable percussive prowess, and the vicious returning snarls of vocalist Marius Vold. “Mørketid” was recorded at Toproom Studio in Norway, by Børge Finnstad & Kevin Kleiven. The album will be released on July 3d via Peaceville Records.

Pre-orders are active here: https://mortem.lnk.to/Morketid

Tracklist:
1.Mørketid 06:04
2.The Mighty Odious 04:43
3.Skyggeånd 07:34
4.Blodvassen grunn 05:44
5.Aftermath 04:09
6.Den sanne Gud 05:22
7.Mørkets ormebol 05:52
8.Ditt ødes ære 05:10

Delve into the song “Skyggeånd” below:

Speaking on his inspiration behind the new track, frontman Marius Vold shared the following: “The lyrics are based on a nightmare I experienced so strongly that the feeling stuck with me for a long time.In the dream, I had to save my son from this spirit that stood and swayed waiting in a basement passage under the twilight darkness of the night.A figure in fluttering jet-black cloak, without a face and his head kind of tilting to the side, sort of listening. It hovered standing, completely still in the same place without a sound, only in anticipation … tense like a spider, with an invisible web of fear and horror. The thought that struck me in retrospect is, if this had been a true scenario…I would never have been able to stand against the blinding fear that gagged me in the dream. Not even the love for my son was strong enough for that frost of fear. It is about the paralyzing horror of being approached by a spirit who wants to take you down into perdition and be swallowed up by the shadow world of death.And the losing battle against the power of darkness, where you lose yourself and slowly become a part of it, withered skin, hollow and fragile, thin, you slip between the shadows.”

Mortem are:
Steinar Sverd Johnsen, Keyboards (Arcturus, Covenant, Satyricon)
Marius Vold, Vocals (Stigma Diabolicum, Thorns, Arcturus)
Hellhammer, Drums (Mayhem, Covenant, Arcturus)
Tor R. Stavenes, Bass (1349, Svart Lotus, Den Saakaldte)
Jamie Stinson, Guitars (Covenant, Dimmu Borgir)