Morgul – Parody Of The Mass

Following the latest trend of Darkness Shall Rise, Parody Of The Masses is a re-release of a nineties Black Metal classics that somehow dodged the zeitgeit of the period (or, at the very least, I somehow glossed over its entire existence up until this point). 

To add insult to my perceived sleight, Morgul is even a one-man band, one with a firm grasp of what he was hoping to achieve – As a matter of fact, upon the first spin I got strong Bathory-meets-1349 vibes, with the ambient approach of the former merging seamlessly with the sheer aggression and growling vocals of the latter, bridging the gap between these two early instances of Black Metal. And I am all for it. 

This record marked the second out of what would be, so far, five Full-length albums, all of them equally well received. And if what were to come after is indicative of this particular release, I can see why. While not fully a part of the Second Wave as it would later be known, it most certainly set a powerful precedent and, I rekon, helped shape the direction later albums would end up taking. Does it hold up to modern scrutiny? If you are looking for more modern Black Metal, probably not. But if you enjoy the legends of old such as Bathory and Immortal, this might just be a diamond in the rough waiting to be added to your collection. 

Definitely a case of old-school being kept alive for future generations to discover, with seven tracks (two of which instrumental) spread across thirty-eight minutes of dirty, gritty guitars and keys. 

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