Marduk – Frontschwein (Album Review)

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History has given a band like Marduk plenty to write about. Over a career spanning the last twenty-five years, one of Sweden’s longest running pure Black Metal bands has explored only the darkest of subject matter. Among myriad lyrical excursions into anti-Christian biblical tales, the legends of Dracula, the occult, Vlad Tsepes, and medieval darkness, a theme they have often enjoyed returning to across their thirteen studio albums is WWII; particularly the doings of the Third Reich. On latest scorcher Frontschwein, one of the darkest chapters in human history is again being brought to the fore, as guitarist and founding member Morgan Håkansson, bassist Devo Andersson, new drummer Frederick Widigs (Rage Nucleaire), and vocalist Mortuus (Funeral Mist) serve up a platter of pure misery from the front lines of human conflict.

Marduk played it fast and loose over their first several albums, unafraid to slow it down in places with creepy, progressive excursions among the hyper-kinetic Black Metal blasts. Back in 2004, when it seemed like maybe they were losing inspiration, they hired the aforementioned Mortuus, or Daniel Rostén as his mother knows him, to take over the mic. There is little doubt that this was a career saving move, as Mortuus arguably sits at the top of the heap when it comes to inhuman sonic throat vomit. Mortuus shares his perch with only a few precious vocalists, and his performances on Plague Angel (2004), Rom 5:12 (2007), Wormwood (2010) and Serpent Sermon (2012) add a completely sick, horrifying, eldritch, and utterly amazing dimension to the music of Marduk. Frontschwein is his fifth contribution to Marduk’s growing discography, and the vocalist once again elevates the Swedes to new depths.

The opening title track is a typical Marduk storm of riffs and blast beats. The band has often been accused of being predictable and repetitive, but Marduk run a Panzer tank over such criticisms. The veteran group has been making music for a long time, and they know how to create tension and handle a three and a half minute blast-fest. “Frontschwein” erupts with its lead riff triumphantly blaring over a martial opening beat. The blast is balanced with this lead riff, Mortuus exhaling pure spite over that furious Marduk bottom end. As an opening salvo, it puts the listener at the front lines of war. Bullets are flying and everything is on fire.

“The Blond Beast” immediately showcases a change of pace. Appearing to reference once more Reinhard Heydrich, the infamous Hangman of Prague and second in command in the SS, the song puts us in the boots of a pure destroying angel of death. A mid-paced beat really works in presenting the martial aspect of the subject matter. “Afrika” takes us to the scorched, dry plains of the northern Sahara, where the Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, ran into as much and more than he could handle. Just when you think Marduk is having a little bit too much sympathy for the Nazis, the astute listener will see from the lyrics that Marduk is simply retelling the stories of these most morbid tales of human folly. “Afrika” continues to hit the listener with a  strong black metal riff, reminiscent of classic Mayhem. Mortuus belts it out over the excellently produced bass guitar and bass drum cacophony. Thick and delicious production keeps the drumsticks-hitting-wet-cardboard component but also gives the music a very live-sounding feeling.

“Wartheland,” revisiting the Polish experience with the Reich, is another slower track. The active drum fills by the extremely talented Widigs, along with some adroit bass-playing by Andersson, support Håkansson’s excellent riffing. The sounds of rounds being chambered and fired launches us into “Rope of Regret,” another hell-storm of quality and migraine-inducing blast. The experience is broken up by a tension-building bass-drum lead-up, but overall the song will simply bludgeon the listener. There is no other option but to be drawn into the blood-laden mud of Marduk’s own sonic battlefield. “Between the Wolf-Packs” is delectable black metal fare, mid-paced before spooling up into the frenetic maelstrom of blast-beats and back down again. The changes of pace along with Mortuus’ voice work wonders on the listener. Being able to head-bang to a Marduk song does not happen often.

The back half of Frontschwein is where things get decidedly more experimental. The Mortuus era of Marduk’s career has seen them coming out with some eerie progressive songs, six to nine minutes in length. Some, like the masterful “Accuer/Opposer” from Rom 5:12 (2007) and ‘World of Blades from Serpent Sermon (2012), are creative and work wonderfully. Others, like “Perish In Flames” from Plague Angel (2004), meander and do not build to any noticeable crescendo. “Nebelwerfer,” on the other hand, is firmly in the more interesting camp. The bass playing is dramatic, the careful drum performance allowing the song to breathe as Mortuus serenades us with his funeral vocals.

“Falaise: Cauldron of Blood” and “Doomsday Elite” are competent and adhere to the Marduk script, but they lack the necrotic malignancy of the album’s first half.”‘503″ comes next, and despite repeated listens, it’s easy for listeners to start checking how much time is left in the song’s duration. The breakdown halfway through does kick up the song’s interest factor; Håkansson’s guitar tone is still truly compelling. The song concludes with an interesting vocal performance with minimalist instrumentation before the looping riff comes back in. The inertia caused by the last three songs is blown swiftly away by album closer “Thousand-fold Death,” a fist in the face of sheer hatred spouting from the lips of Mortuus. Try to sing the verses along with him – poetic lyrics growled at punk-rock, breakneck speed; not easy to handle.

Time will tell if Frontschwein leaves the impression on fans that some of their more classic releases have managed, but the album is quite strong and is a supremely aggressive, well-done addition to Marduk’s career. Their oblations to humanity’s persistent evil side have never sounded better than when articulated by the demon-strangled throat of Mortuus, and as long as the riffs and the voice are this strong, there is no stopping the corpse-painted Swedish death machine from pissing on our ears for years to come. Crypticrock gives Frontschwein 4 out of 5 iron-cross stars.

Century Media

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