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40 Years Of Metal

    
       
       
       
     
             
Mortician are a heavy metal band from Austria formed over forty years ago during the mid eighties explosion for heavy metal. The band released one E.P. 'No War' in 1987 before disbanding for over twenty years! Resurfacing in 2009, the band have enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance, going on to release four albums - 'Mortician' (2011), 'Shout For Heavy Metal' (2014), 'Titans' (2020), and '40 Years Of Metal', released in 2023.    
             
Featuring eight songs of all out heavy metal, Mortician hit hard and kick harder with their new album, the band celebrating forty years of metal in raucous fashion! As the band comments "no ballads, no fillers, only killer songs" - and I for one heartily agree! Launching '40 Years Of Metal' with the title song '40 Years Of Metal', the band are quickly into their stride, portraying the iconic guitar tone of the legendary NWOBHM evolution. The bands "foot on the monitor" approach to heavy metal is incredible, the band giving metalheads an immediate head bang-able experience right from the off. And that experience remains high with the galloping 'Leather And Wheels' - Mortician paying homage to metals roots back in the glorious eighties, with a particular nod to legendary bands Judas Priest and Saxon. And why wouldn't the band pay homage to such an iconic era in heavy metal history - they are a child of the eighties after all!    
             
And talking of Judas Priest - Mortician echo perfectly the power driven style of the British icons, 'King Of The Ring' increasing the pace and storming on with purpose and intent. The band are heavy metal through and through, '40 Years Of Metal' (the album) a solid sentiment of how long the band have been around. And all that experience shines brightly too, the album roaring on with the head bangingly addictive 'No War Symphony' - and a gallop that even legends Iron Maiden would be proud of! The iconic foot on the monitor feel of old school metal fills the air like a smoke machine fills a stage with err, ahem, smoke - and it smells fucking good! The intensity since the album began has been phenomenal, 'Old Lady' adopting a more anthemic feel than any other song heard so far - Mortician effortlessly sliding across the heavy metal genre to provide a varied aural attack to please their army of fans. And a few new ones too! Well actually, a lot of new ones!    
             
Back to pummelling metal we go with 'The Earth Fights Back', the band picking up both the pace and power to deliver an out of this world head bang-able experience. I'm telling ya, my head hasn't stopped rocking back and forth since the album began, which is making my life very difficult while typing this review. Especially as I wear glasses to read! In keeping with the old school flavour of the album, 'Angels On Earth' features the instantly recognisable guitar tone of the legendary NWOBHM evolution - the band firmly planting their collective feet on the monitors. Metal traditionalists are gonna love '40 Years Of Metal' (the album), keeping it in their playlists on constant rotation. And in what seems like no time at all, the final song comes soaring over the horizon - 'Death Penalty' one more head bang-able hurrah for every metalhead to enjoy. The hardest hitting of all the songs on offer, 'Death Penalty' combines a fierce attitude with an aggressive aura, knocking very hard on the door of thrash!    
             
Overall, a barnstorming barrage of traditional heavy metal, immensely infectious and head bang-able to the max.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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