Band:	Mortifera
Album:	Maledictiih
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	June 17, 2010
A review by:	Lucas

01. Drame Macabre
02. Portrait Sanglant
03. La Valse Mortuaire
04. Givre Nocturne
05. Agonie
06. Pale Comme Le Néant
07. Complainte Nécromantique
08. Jusqu'au Dernier Souffie
09. Averse De Larmes Froide

Despite my current slowly waning interest in the Black metal scene, a new Mortifera is something I cannot possibly ignore. Vastiia Tenebrd Mortifera is in my opinion one of the finest Black metal albums France has to offer and if you're geographically aware of the current scene, you know that is not a light statement. Can Maledictiih live up to the expectations?

In short: no. Maledictiih is not a bad album, but it just doesn't have that 'magic touch'. After only a couple of playthroughs, it's not very difficult to establish where Noktu went wrong. First of all, the vocals are far less impressive than on the debut. Now that Neige is no longer in the band, the batshit insane shrieks have been replaced with Noktu's mediocre croaks. A tremendous shame, a once so impressive feature of Mortifera now is no more. Secondly, the riffs sound far less inspired than before. Vastiia Tenebrd Mortifera was filled to the brim with emotive tension, juxtaposing harsh layers of distortion with riffs that -at times- could almost bring you to tears. While they have the same sound and are played in the same style, they don't have the same impact. You'll be hard-pressed to find a song as good as "Le Revenant" (VTM's highlight - and written by Neige) on Maledictiih. It just isn't there.

Can we conclude that without Neige, Mortifera is not Mortifera? I'm not sure we can, because I'm not fully aware of who was responsible for what on Vastiia Tenebrd Mortifera, but it damn well looks like it... too bad. Above average Black metal is nothing to cheer for coming from Mortifera. The best description for Maledictiih I can come up with is that it is a second-rate rip-off of the debut - and basically, the remaining band member (Noktu) ripping off his former, more talented band mate (Neige). Too bad.