Mors Principium Est - Inhumanity
Listenable Records
Melodic Death Metal
10 songs (38'33")
Release year: 2003
Mors Principium Est, Listenable Records
Reviewed by Alex

Somehow I can always spot a Finnish melodic death metal band. I don’t know what it is, but I always can. Maybe it is a Children of Bodom inspiration and influence, but Finns tend to focus on melody, are not afraid to throw in keyboards for a more blackened, sometimes even gothic, atmosphere. Vocals tend to be a bit more barking than growly or deep-throat. Guitar fireworks are very prevalent as solos are long and sweeping, and, if a band has two axes, they love to harmonize. Drumming is fast and furious with double bass and superfast snare being the frontrunner choices. Or, maybe, it is many of those bands go to Tico-Tico Studios where a certain brand of sound is instilled.

This, in a nutshell, describes newcomers to the genre Mors Principium Est. These six Finns are definitely playing melodic death metal, with the emphasis on melodic. While not as neo-classical as on Hatebreeder, Jori and Jarkko can handle a guitar. Galloping riffs and knuckle breaking solos highlight just about every song. While not as gothic as the last two albums by Eternal Tears of Sorrow, keyboards, played by Toni, duel with guitars and have their own leading moments (The Lust Called Knowledge, Life in Black). While not as thrashy and edgy as Kalmah, Mors Principium Est pay a quick homage to At The Gates and Soilwork with some riffs on In My Words and D.I.B. Throw in electroacoustic In Flamish guitar instrumental Oblivion, and balladic closer Into Illusion (with some clean singing a la Anders Friden), and the debut Inhumanity is complete.

It is a funny thing how I enjoyed listening to the album while it was playing, but when it was over, I couldn’t remember many songs to stand out by themselves. Therein, lies a problem. Mors Principium Est needs more originality and something in the sound they can call their own. The music is melodic, aggressive and catchy enough, and the guys definitely can play, but something special is missing about Inhumanity. Luckily enough the skills to improve are there, so their sophomore effort should be worth a check.

Killing Songs :
In My Words, D.I.B., Life in Black, Into Illusion, Another Creation
Alex quoted 73 / 100
Chris quoted 82 / 100
Other albums by Mors Principium Est that we have reviewed:
Mors Principium Est - Embers of a Dying World reviewed by Alex and quoted 85 / 100
Mors Principium Est - The Unborn reviewed by Vrechek and quoted 80 / 100
Mors Principium Est - Liberation = Termination reviewed by Aleksie and quoted 84 / 100
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