"Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber started Delerium as a side project to release their ambient music. (They released their more danceable music under the nom de plume Frontline Assembly.) Later Delerium itself became danceable and more accessible, particularly with the added vocals of Kristy Thirsk, but this early album (1989) is the best of pre-dance Delerium. Good heavy beats, trance-like rhythms and creepy samples combine to weave haunting and disturbing music which could be used for horror movie soundtracks.In Greek mythology, Morpheus is the god of sleep and dreams -- not the best choice if you want to dance, but if you're in the mood to light candles and explore your darker inner core, this would be a great addition to your collection."
Not for everyone
Igor Savtchenko | Long Beach, CA USA | 08/21/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"'Morpheus' is an album that is so unlike later albums like 'Karma' and 'Semantic Spaces'. This one is definitely a more contemplative one, not very dancable, sounds more like a soundtrack to a horror movie, with different dialogues and sounds of breaking objects spliced in; it is basically an experimental sonic collage, intended for a very narrow musical tastes, learn more about it before purchasing. 'Spiritual Archives' is another Delerium album that continues in the same tradition, buy 'Morpheus' if you liked 'Spiritual Archives'"
The best Delerium album ever released
Steve Alber | San Diego | 03/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Morpheus is the darkest, most mood altering sampling of Delerium's music. The sound is indicative of the "old Delerium," from the Euphoric and Syrophenikan days before they changed their style. If you your experience with Delerium is restricted to their new stuff like "Silence," then Morpheus is definitely a strong shift in style. In my opinion however, this album has a far superior sound to any of the new Delerium."
A Personal Favorite
zacharym87 | 02/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As an avid fan of pre-Karma Delerium, I would rate this as easily one of their best albums. Morpheus is the most haunting and disturbing (in the good sense) album in the Delerium series. While Morpheus has a harder edge than any other Delerium album, only 2 of its 11 tracks fall outside the ambient sound of Delerium's other albums (these are "Gaza" and "Coup de Etat" both quite violent by Delerium standards, but damn good tracks anyway). The bonus track, "Symbolism" is worth the album's price by its lonesome. "Symbolism" has to be the most haunting song I've heard, a slow tune laced with some rather violent samples involving a angry person and a sledgehammer. The spooky effect of the sample is magnified by the matter-of-fact way the speaker says it. The samples for "Gaza" displayed a similar quality. In short, this album should definitely be in your collection if you like Delerium's pre-Karma sound."
Delerium meets Front Line Assembly
John E. Chadwick | San Francisco, CA | 07/23/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"THIS is the album in which the "change-over" took place. Looking back now it seems so obvious. As Frontline Assembly became heavier and more dangerous sounding, Delerium was "letting it's hair down".
I find this CD best to listen to in the cold weather, at nite. "Symbolism" is truly one of my favorite songs ever. It's that good. The police investigators casually chatting about the brutal events while underneath you can almost SEE them taking place. It builds a staircase of rhythmic tones that leads you up and then back to where you started.
Definately the darkest Delerium album out there. but still, not really brutality for the sake of brutality. This album seems to focus on the beauty within the darkened tones.
Nothing like Karma which wraps you up in clouds and puts you to sleep. No, Morpheus let's you dwell on the darker things but you still sleep. Great album."