Digging up old bones is rarely a good idea. It usually turns into a rather messy affair. Still, given that neither the review of Seven nor our deliberation on Liberate The Unborn Inhumanity touched on the matter, we’ll briefly address it here. Just before the release of the seventh album (bearing the expected title above), it was announced that long-time guitarist and main songwriter Andy Gillion would be leaving the band… or was kicked out, depending on which camp you ask. Either way, it marked the end of an era. Andy had been part of the band from 2011 to 2021 and was largely responsible for songwriting during that time. It soon became clear that with the exception of the drummer and the keyboardist all original members would be returning. The first result was Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity, where the strongest material from the first three albums, recorded with the original line-up, was re-recorded and given new life. Now, with Darkness Invisible, we get the first offering consisting entirely of new material.
For those unfamiliar: Mors Principium Est hails from Finland and crafts excellent melodic death metal in a way only the inhabitants of the Land of a Thousand Lakes seem capable of. However, the band balances that with a high-speed display of technical guitar wizardry few in the genre can match. After a short demonic introduction (my word, this alone is enough to make your mouth water!) and a calm section, opener Of Death slams into high gear with overdriven, thrashy melodeath and blazing technical guitar runs. The chorus is grand and bombastic, as we’ve come to expect from our Finnish brothers. Before the second chorus, the tempo explodes and the guitar parts follow an incredibly intricate technical pattern. It’s a display of extremely controlled chaos. Here it becomes clear that Mors Principium Est hasn’t lost sight (or sound) of its highly technical melodeath roots despite the line-up changes. Instead they’ve injected them with greater urgency and aggression. That last point is immediately evident in the chaotic opening of Venator, where a dose of Finnish melodic power-death comes into play, reminiscent of bands like Brymir or Children Of Bodom. The tempo is relentless, and due to its short runtime, the track flies by.
On this new album, Mors Principium Est makes clever use of dynamic shifts, alternating between lengthier tracks and shorter additions. This variety works remarkably well and keeps the listening experience fresh. Monuments, for instance, offers a longer composition full of build-up and epic flair. The tempo is notably slower here, allowing the guitars plenty of room to shine in a near-perfect love affair with the symphonic elements. The weeping guitars during the chorus are an absolute treat, as is the leading guitar theme that returns triumphantly multiple times. Elsewhere in the track, the guitarists get a solid workout for their fingers. A true metallic monument! In terms of dynamics, Tenebrae Latebra brings us a fairytale-like interlude. The track beautifully unfolds with symphonic splendour and ethereal female vocals. Enchanting, sure, but all of it is, of course, the prelude to the epic Summoning The Dark, which bursts open with furious drums and guitars. This two-part suite is heavily reminiscent of Wintersun and easily matches the level of that other Finnish powerhouse. For the first time, Ville Viljanen’s deep growls are prominently featured, and they definitely leave us wanting more. Toward the end, the track takes a darker turn, weaving in progressive death metal, ominous riffs and venomous growls. A brilliant track! Here, Mors Principium Est truly manages to step outside its own shadow. The “new” – well, technically old – members genuinely bring a fresh breeze into the band’s compositions.
We continue our journey with Beyond The Horizon. This track begins gently and full of drama but quickly transitions into an aggressive whirlwind of technical guitar leads: symphonic tech-death! Once again, a very strong track with pounding rhythms and surging aggression. The storm briefly settles into a symphonic calm. You can see the deathcore-style breakdown coming from a mile away, but it’s executed so tastefully that it works perfectly within the track’s character. The core influences return in The Rivers Of Avernus. Its groovy nature results in a slightly more formulaic track, but the technical guitar lines add an addictive, sticky quality. As always, the epic flair isn’t shied away from, and the guitar solo near the end seals the deal: another strong track. In Sleep There Is Peace is the first time the album feels like it’s treading familiar ground, yet it still goes down smoothly. Another catchy, epic chorus and more than competent solo work. Nothing to complain about here, though it doesn’t stand out as much compared to other tracks.
As with Tenebrae Latebra, An Aria Of The Damned offers another classically inspired interlude. This time with operatic vocals layered over a dark instrumental backdrop of piano and strings. This simmering darkness is bound to lead to something heavy. And of course… it does. After a brief intro, All Life Is Evil kicks down the door with crushing riffs, brutal growls and ominous background effects. The female vocalist from the previous interlude returns in the midsection, and together with Ville’s deep growls and another well-executed guitar solo, they deliver a gripping and atmospheric second half. This too belongs to the album’s highlights. The closing track Makso Mittä Makso (a cover) initially seems to hint at a symphonic end to the album with its runtime and almost folkloristic opening. But Mors Principium Est has one last thrashy salvo left in them, unleashing a final round of pummelling riffs. Naturally, the chorus is once again huge. Very cool that this track is sung entirely in Finnish.
Once more, Mors Principium Est has risen from the dead. It remains impressive how a band, despite dealing with various line-up changes over the years, continues to deliver such a consistent level of quality and sound. This new album is yet another shining example of that. It’s therefore puzzling that this band still hasn’t gained more widespread recognition in the metal world. Perhaps it’s due to the sheer volume of high-quality melodic death metal bands coming out of Finland, a country with the highest number of metal bands per capita on Earth. Be that as it may, Darkness Invisible can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best melodic death metal releases of the year, and may well be a contender for the title.
Score:
88/100
Label:
Perception, 2025
Tracklisting:
- Of Death
- Venator
- Monuments
- Tenebrae Latebra
- Summoning The Dark
- The Rivers Of Avernus
- In Sleep There Is Peace
- An Aria Of The Damned
- All Life Is Evil
- Makso Mitä Makso
Line-up:
- Ville Viljanen – Vocals
- Jori Haukio – Guitar
- Jarkko Kokko – Guitar
- Teemu Heinola – Bass guitar
- Marko Tommila – Drums
Links: