Madder Mortem – Old Eyes, New Heart
Dark Essence Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
Reaching the end of a strenuous journey beset by turmoil and loss, Madder Mortem is finally ready with their 8th studio album “Old Eyes, New Heart”. Emerging five years after its predecessor “Marrow”, the time in which “Old Eyes, New Heart” was made has been a troubled one for the Madders – and in the winter of 2023, Agnete and BP’s dad Jakob passed away. Having always been a huge supporter of the band, Jakob’s backing was essential in launching the band’s recording career almost 30 years ago. Being an artist himself, Jakob had prepared two paintings especially for the album and with the adaptation and additional design by long-term Madder collaborator Costin Chioreanu, the cover artwork for “Old Eyes, New Heart” was completed. Even though Jakob didn’t live to see the finished album, he would have been immensely proud to see his art on the cover, and the album is dedicated to his memory.
Lyrically and musically, the album deals with hope, disappointment, and the ambivalence between them. It is music from old hearts and deep roots, with new eyes open to the unlimited possibilities of 12 notes, but always with the desire to write a good, honest song.
Recorded and produced by guitarist BP M. Kirkevaag, it shows one of Norway’s most interesting bands embracing a multitude of directions spanning from post-metal heaviness to soft Americana grooves and everything in between. Fronted by one of the genre’s greatest and most unique voices, it is an album full of surprises, but at all times unmistakably Madder.
Tracklist:
- Coming from the Dark
- On Guard
- Master Tongue
- The Head that Wears the Crown
- Cold Hard Rain
- Unity
- Towers
- Here and Now
- Things I’ll Never Do
- Long Road
Main Focus Tracks:
- Coming from the Dark
- On Guard
- Towers
- Things I’ll Never Do
Other Recommended Tracks:
- The Head that Wears the Crown
- Unity
Line-Up:
BP M. Kirkevaag – Guitars
Agnete M. Kirkevaag – Vocals
Mads Solås – Drums
Tormod Langøien Moseng – Bass
Anders Langberg – Guitars
Comments:
Six years on from their sublime last album, Madder Mortem’s Old Eyes, New Heart may be a little too eclectic, but it’s still rooted in high-quality metal. A powerful album which has the good taste to be eclectic enough to delight a large panel of listeners while remaining anchored in an authentic style.
Contact:
Videos:
Selected Discography:
Mercury – 1999
All Flesh Is Grass – 2001
Deadlands – 2002
Desiderata – 2006
Eight Ways – 2009
Red in Tooth and Claw – 2016
Marrow – 2018
Old Eyes, New Heart – 2024
- Photo Credit: Camilla Nesset/Knut J. Berget