Search - Mortification :: Post Momentary Affliction

Mort's Best Record

N. Pierce | Southern Illinois | 07/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Post Momentary Affliction is Mortification's best CD and here's why. Self-Titled and Scrolls of the Megilloth were both AMAZING, but stylistically they owed a heavy debt to thrash/grindcore and brutal death metal respectively. Though they were enjoyable, and darned good in their own rite the songs were sometimes indistinguishable from one another, save for Raise the Chalice. PMA is where Steve, Mick, and Jayson hit their artistic pinnacle. They take the music to intersting places by mixing death, doom, thrash, groove, and power metal, interesting time signatures, and just plain great playing. Example: The epic 'From the Valley of the Shadows' deftly changes between doom, thrash, and grind sections without ever making you recall any of those genres while you're listening to it. The song is distinctly Mortification. Mick's riffing is at it's creative best showing death/thrash influences, but recalling no one in particular. Steve's vocals are a mix of powerful death growls and thrash shouting that really showcase his range and diversity. Plus, the fantastic lyrics are mostly discernable despite the death style. And Jayson Sherlock really pushes himself to the edge of his masterful ability, holding it all together with his crisp double kicks, and flawless thrash/blast beats, and time changes. My only regret about this album is that out of 14 tracks (on the original album) at least four are little instrumental snippets that don't qualify as songs. But From the Valley of the Shadows, Human Condition, Distarnish Priest, Grind Planetarium, Overseer, and Impulsation are the absolute peak of creativity for these Australian metal pioneers. I never get bored with this record all these years later, which I am sad to say happens with S-T and Scrolls. On a side note, I like the Intense Records cover art way better than the Nuclear Blast version. The flaming heart and sword is the true cover as far as I'm concerned. If you get a chance to pick this one up you will NOT be disappointed. This one was never topped."