Madder Mortem Bio

Some bands were simply meant to be different. Norway's MADDER MORTEM definitely belong among those artists who only seem truly comfortable with their creative achievements when they fully shatter stylistic barriers, escape from the ordinary in music and manage to keep the listener guessing what will come next, again and again. On the other hand, MADDER MORTEM are without hesitation a metal band first and foremost (far off from the typical Gothic posse), one that doesn't leave the songwriting falling apart for the sake of hopeless experimentation or overly-complex soundscapes. Instead, MADDER MORTEM deliver a flawlessly dynamic, progressively atmospheric soundtrack for all of us who equally adore the natural vibe of both romance and fury in heavy music. Formed back in 1993 under the early name Mystery Tribe, this outstanding quintet has quickly morphed into one of the most individual and distinguished acts within todays Dark/Post-Gothic genre with their self-released MCD Misty Sleep (1997), their Misanthropy Records debut full length Mercury (1999) as well as their sophomore full-length effort All Flesh Is Grass (2001) through their new-found label Century Media Records.

Rave reviews soon followed from all over Europe for their dense, almost magically unique nine-song masterpiece and MADDER MORTEM also made their first invasion of central European stages on a successful tour with country mates Tristania, as well as Vintersorg and label colleagues Rotting Christ. Early Summer of 2002 saw the band returning to Sweden's Studio Underground (where the band had also recorded their previous album) to record their latest compositions and continue the band's ever-deeper journey towards self-realization: The fascinating result is a ten-song concept opus titled Deadlands, rich on stylistic variety, always moody and challenging song structures, with an extremely unique female vocal rendition, highlighted by exceptional guitar arrangements and also beautifully packaged and illustrated by gifted artist Christian Ruud. MADDER MORTEM themselves proclaim the new material to be "heavier and gloomier, but perhaps less schizophrenic" than All Flesh Is Grass but then again, Deadlands is the sort of album that attempts to reach each listener on a very personal level. An album meant to hypnotize the senses of all who could not relate to the band's earlier audio performances, Deadlands should also find its way to a whole new range of listeners who dare to envelop themselves within something truly extraordinary: "Every tie can be broken. Nothing and no one holds. Wipe the dry sand from your eyes and wake up seeing. Remember the Necropol lit."