(On April 21st a group of labels will release a new album by the Finnish death metal band Morbific, and that induced our contributor Zoltar to reach out for an interview, which now follows.)
Samples of forgotten horror flicks, a crude-as-fuck production, distorted bass breaks one hasn’t heard since Impetigo‘s debut album back in 1990, dual vocals and lyrics about mutilating a corpse or draining into a tub various secretions of a putrefied body… You can’t really blame Finnish youngsters Morbific for beating around the (dead) bush can you?
Various splits and an EP plus three albums, including the soon-to-be-released Bloom Of The Abnormal Flesh, in, the trio stick to what they do best: old-school, primitive, and ghastly death metal, yet surprisingly catchy thanks to its underlining groove and straight-to-the-point attitude. Next to other rather ‘new’ European acts like Stockholm’s Repuked or Copenhagen’s Undergang, their undeniable faith in a certain deeply underground and untouched-by-modernism definition of what death metal stands for is undeniable.
And yes, based on their bass player and vocalist Jusa‘s not quite extensive answers, they don’t seem to give a fuck about anything, but it’s probably because at the end of the day, it’s just all about playing freakin’ death metal and celebrating gore, nothing less nothing more.
You’ve been quite productive to say the least over the last five years, with Bloom Of The Abnormal Flesh being your third album, and a whole bunch of split EP and tapes in between. Why is it important for you to strike the iron while it’s hot?
We rehearse together quite actively and new material spawns naturally during our practice sessions so we do not see why we should wait around to record and release it.
You’ve been working lately with a bunch of high-profile, yet still very underground, labels, one for each format: Me Saco Un Ojo Records for the LP, Headsplit for the tape, Memento Mori for the CD, Extremely Rotten Sound for the last EP… Wouldn’t it make your life simpler to have everything under the same umbrella? Or was it important to make sure each release is being released by a label with the right expertise demanded by the format?
Usually labels approach us with offers to release our material, and the labels thus far have been excellent choices for us and we do not really see a point in having everything under one banner, especially since we do not have a multi-release recording deal with any label.
Were the three tracks displayed on the Promethean Mutilation EP released last October recorded during the same sessions as those during which you did this new album? If so, how did you end up picking those specific tracks for this more low-key release?
No. Promethean Mutilation was recorded on February 17th and 18th 2024 and the album was recorded in October 2024 after the EP release.
This new album has a bigger emphasis on mid-tempos and disgusting vocals, as if you felt that the putrid and degenerate atmosphere you were looking to conjure could only be summoned at this rather slow tempo. Am I wrong?
We feel like mid-tempo-stomping is “our thing” when it comes to this genre. It allows us to drive home memorable hooks and emphasize rhythm. So, you are not wrong.
How does one manage to keep on producing interesting and primitive death metal while making sure you don’t ‘evolve’ too much, and thus, stray away from your core sound?
We don’t really think about this too much. Most of what we write automatically sounds like Morbific, and if we are satisfied with the material ourselves, we release it. Simple as.
Is Bloom Of The Abnormal Flesh like its predecessor, another pure DIY affair, recorded by yours truly in your own rehearsal room, hence its quite natural and analogue sound?
This was actually the first time we had someone outside of the band record us, a good friend of ours (Jesse Räsänen) who is also a professional sound engineer. The tracking took place at Kontiolahti, close to Joensuu, where we currently all live.
You are drenched in gore lyrically, yet not exactly your typical gore lyrics. I’m probably wrong and it does seem as graphic as some, that is, you’re invoking a gross vibe instead of depicting in detail somebody being dismembered for instance. Am I getting this right or…?
You are getting it right. The lyrics have (d)evolved alongside our songwriting capabilities.
Besides it being the third time you’ve been working with him, what is it with Mortiferum mainman Chase and his and your fascination with bleak landscapes? Why choose those as your cover artworks? This being said, this time around we can see more or less some human, if hooded, figures but still…
We really like Chase’s style of painting and those kinds of graphics, landscapes and aesthetic in general. And working with him has been nothing but amazing. We plan on sticking with him.
What’s next for you guys?
Lots of shows this year, first up a two-week European tour with Astriferous from Costa Rica. We will also keep on rehearsing and writing as usual!
https://www.facebook.com/morbific
https://morbific.bandcamp.com/