19th of November AB is the day when Tyrannic‘s sophomore album, “Mortuus Decadence“, sees the light of day. Released as a joint cooperation between Australia’s Seance Records (CD version) and Germany’s Iron Bonehead Productions (LP version), this album somehow walks on the same path as the band’s previous materials, the debut LP “Ethereal Sepulchre” (2018) and the “Extermination Angel” EP (2019).
I came across the Tyrannic name quite often in the past years, but for some reason I never paid them too much attention – too many bands out there, too little time? What really caught my attention with this new album was the simple yet very suggestive (to say old school is an understatement) cover, so as soon as I received the EPK I descended into the crypts of…”Mortuus Decadence“. And I do not regret a single moment.
I have to be honest and tell you that at first listen, this is not an easy album. It requires more than one spin to be fully absorbed, but after that you will want more and more of it. This record is chaotic, psychotic and quite unusual for anno gratia 2021 (as well as for the scene in general, I might add). If you expect the traditional blast beat / cold riffing attack, then look for them somewhere else. What Tyrannic offers on “Mortuus Decadence” is a perfect mixture of doom metal and “primitive” black metal in the (very) old way, the whole sprinkled with some well hidden pinches of good ole heavy metal.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I do not like comparisons too much, as I think every release is unique in its way. But in Tyrannic‘s case I need to mention/highlight the obvious influences that I noticed in their music. From the first moments of the opening title track, you can feel the winged shadow of early Samael or Celtic Frost lingering over the songs, as well as some good old Black Sabbath worship (“Osmos Burial“). But rest assured, this record is not a “Worship Him” / “To Mega Therion” replica, it is more than that actually. Overt the years, Tyrannic has crafted their own sound and style, which clearly sets them apart from the current black metal scene. Incorporating the above mentioned influences only distances them from the “now” and sends them a thousand steps into “then“, when all was simpler and perhaps more genuine.
But let us go back to the album, shall we ? Spanning for 43 minutes, “Mortuus Decadence” contains 5 full tracks and one instrumental, which closes the album, strangely titled “Introduction“. The 5 tracks are quite long, around 9 minutes each, the exception being the 2nd track, “Singe of Orgiastic Waste“, which lasts for only 5 minutes. Considering the high dose of doom metal contained in them, the length is justified as it imbues every song with an eerie and sometimes suffocating atmosphere which stays with you long after the album is over.
Another element which sets Tyrannic‘s music apart from the rest of the horde are the vocals. While very much rooted in black metal, they are much more than that. R (drums and vocals) has quite an unusual arsenal of vocal styles which he produces when you expect him the least: from angry growls and rusty UGHs that would make Uncle Tom proud, to high pitched screams (“Mortuus Decadence“, “Tormented by Deathly Cataract“) and operatic vocals on the brink of madness (“Singe of Orgiastic Waste“, “Osmos Burial“), these vocals are definitely one of the highlights of this record.
As a conclusion, “Mortuus Decadence” is a brutal, yet very atmopspheric album, which incorporates quite a few genres from different eras. It may have a modern touch, but its very essence is ancient and rotten. This record is best listened to in complete darkness, in order to fully inhale its morbid, rotting stench. The more you listen to it, the stronger it will grow on you like a fucking, disgusting, sticky spider web. UGH!
Tyrannic Line-Up:
R: drums and vocals
J: guitars
Tyrannic – “Mortuus Transcendence” Track list:
1.Mortuus Decadence
2.Singe of Orgiastic Waste
3.Tormented by Deathly Cataract
4.Night Plague Manifest
5.Osmos Burial
6.Introduction
Band Contact:
scrollsofdarmoth.com 
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