Album review: Mork – Syv

Something oft overlooked about the early-’90s Norwegian black metal scene and its elitist mindset was how much it stretched to the actual creativity of the music. You had to bring something original, carve your own niche within the niche. Though the sounds of the cold, white North are firmly established now, three decades and change since the first throes of the country's BM scene, it's a tradition Mork continue to make efforts to uphold on this seventh outing.

On first glance, it's not that obvious, with the pleasingly icy guitars of opener I Tåkens Virvel and the aggressive Ondt Blod seeming like very welcome business as usual, things soon begin venturing off path. Holmgang, with its prominent, walking bass, layered vocals and choppy riffs throws a proggy spanner into things, while the spacey, vibed-out guitar melodies of Heksebål add a Pink Floyd flavour. Utbrent's switch from blasting to something more gently vast is almost Mastodon-ish in its execution, while closer Omme is an acoustic folk number that neatly occupies a space of its own amongst others doing such things.

Often it walks a similar path to Enslaved, with its elements of metal, stargazing prog and traditional Norse touches. But even in this, Mork have enough nifty twists of their own to make them stand out. Which, given how far they are into their tenure at black metal's mill, and that this is mainman Thomas Eriksen's second album on which he plays everything this year (the other being the self-titled album from Udåd), is to be commended.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Enslaved, Emperor, Darkthrone

Syv is released on September 20 via Peaceville