Mael Mordha – Damned When Dead


MM - Damned When DeadDon’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Scandinavian folk metal, but when a band enters drawing from their own heritage rather than relying on Vikings and Thor, it’s like the first breath after choking. Mael Mordha is that breath of air. Hailing from Dublin in Ireland, this four-piece take their love of doom and throws in a hefty dose of Gaelic folk music. Their interest in Irish heritage doesn’t stop with the music though, from their lyrics right down to their name itself, everything is tied in with ancient Irish events.

The Minotaur, now a regular on their albums, makes an increasingly menacing return on Damned When Dead (Candlelight). Bathed in shadow, he breaks the cross in a symbol of religious defiance. This perfectly compliments the sound in this album, which despite being rousing and at points soaring through into epic passages maintains a distinctly mournful atmosphere throughout.

Roibéard’s vocals are defiant but desperate, layered with an anguish that only clean vocals can bring. ‘All Eire Will Quake’ sets this perfectly against repeating, insistent riffs and racing distorted tremolo chords. While ‘King Of The English’ and ‘Damned When Dead’ fall back into a hopeless dirge that drips of despair.

The words concept album can strike fear into the hearts of many fans with so many falling short of the usual standard maintained by any band. This album however proves that concept can be epic. Centered around the Papal bull of Laudabiliter which was issued in 1155, and the carnage that ruled for years with it, Damned When Dead is a tome to Irelands violent events and bloody past. All coupled with the slow dirge of droning guitars, history lessons have never sounded quite so good!

9/10

Caitlin Smith

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