When it comes to metal subgenres, one that I find has quite a bit of deviation is melodeath (melodic death metal). Some have great guitar hooks, others have big portions of synth atmospheres. Then, there’s Mors Principium Est. They emphasize the ‘death’ portion of the label with heavy riffs and blastbeats, yet bring in the atmosphere by adding in beautiful orchestration (strings and choirs). The contrast of styles on their 9th studio album, Darkness Invisible, is as bombastic and triumphant as ever. 

The song and album’s first single, “Of Death,” opens the album with its dark symphonic vibe. There are rolling, speedy guitar hooks that shroud a theatrical, haunting main melody. I pictured a ballroom with grand chandeliers that seemed to flicker like strobe lights all throughout. 

The 3rd song and second single, “Monuments,” seems to stack the atmosphere even higher. One of my favorite sections of this album happens at the bridge of this song when the growled vocal melody meshes with the layered choir and the guitar melody in perfect unison. I get goosebumps every time.

The first interlude track, “Tenebrae Latebra,” is gorgeous, full of angelic choir and features a mesmerizing soprano vocalist. The song leads right into “Summoning the Dark.” This one is bombastic with blast beats, neoclassical melodies that contrast the low gutter vocal style of singer Ville Viljanen. This song goes from orchestral to pure death metal, with chuggy riffs by the second verse. The blend of ’90s death metal with clean and crisp mixing is just my style. 

The next track I want to highlight is the seventh track, “The Rivers of Avernus”. This song did the wonderful thing again, that the vocals match with the guitar melody at the chorus, making the guitar feel like another layer of vocals. I adore that motif so much! The D&D Forgotten Realms reference to the first layer of hell makes this song doubly interesting, too. It’s always fun when a band brings in their other interests into their music. 

Lastly, I want to talk about the last two songs. “An Aria of the Damned” features the same soprano singer who’s been throughout the album, accompanied by haunting piano and later joined by a tenor in the distance. This feels like a movie scene. I keep picturing an old parlor room, draped in shades of death-like white and grey. Ghostly and chilling in a captivating way.

This guides us into the massive finale, “All Life is Evil”. It certainly does finish the album with a bang, with the massive melodic solos and dramatics. There’s a focus on the soprano singer from the previous track, an utterly mesmerizing song. I always love a ‘Beauty and the Beast‘ vocal contrast, and this used that impeccably well. 

This is such a fun symphonic melodeath album. The hooks are heavy, the orchestration is dramatic and fantastical. Plenty of headbang-worthy moments, too. Plus, the clean, modern mixing lets you hear every detail, like an audible layer cake. Melodeath and symphonic death metal fans will both find Darkness Invisible an absolute treat. 

The new Mors Principium Est album, Darkness Invisible, is available now via Perception. Order here.

Emily Schneider

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