Band:	Madder Mortem
Album:	Desiderata
Style:	Avantgarde metal, Gothic metal
Release date:	March 27, 2006
A review by:	Jeff

01. My Name Is Silence
02. Evasions
03. Plague On This Land
04. Dystopia
05. M For Malice
06. The Flood To Come
07. Changeling
08. Cold Stone
09. Hypnos
10. Sedition
11. Desiderata
12. Hangman

You know, it's not really easy to write a review about Madder Mortem. First this band is totally original and it's clearly impossible to do any comparisons with some others bands (this is evidently a good point) but also they're really disturbing, unconventional and if some people love them, I know that some people hate them too. It's a matter of taste in my opinion, the ones who really like music and who are enough open minded will like this album? the others? I still don't know?

Madder Mortem plays a music that goes in a dozen of different directions. From Jazz, to Gothic, to Death and even Nu Metal? it's not really easy to follow the rhythm, at the opposite it's easy to be lost. But if it is disturbing on a side, this is also really nice to listen to this kind of music because I never heard something like that and it's impossible to have the bad feeling of deja-vu. The music is a bit elitist and "intellectual" so it's not really easy of access especially if you don't like messy compositions but one more time believe me with a bit of attention, it's not so hard to enjoy the music of "Desiderata".

Musically speaking, there are a lot of influences on "Desiderata", but the predominant one is probably Jazz, especially in the rhythm and time signature. Though there are some songs like "Hangman" or "Evasion" that are not so far of pure Jazz, it's really nice to listen to them. But also, Gothic and Death are present on this release, Gothic in reason of the depressive and dark aspect of some songs, and Death in reason of the powerful and heavy riffs. It's super varied, complex and not easy of access yes but it's good if you're a bit open minded.

For sure some people will like this album like a lot of others will find it boring, personally I really like "Desiderata" but I'm not a fan of the voice of Agnete M. Kirkevaag (I don't say that she is bad but I'm just not a fan) but well in general the ambiances and the progressive spirit of this album are so nice that it's hard to resist. "Desiderata" is a surprising album really unconventional and disturbing but supra interesting musically speaking. If you like "music" don't miss it?