Foreseeing a return as natural as this is easier imagined than done. Morgoth, at least, does not waste any time getting down to the nitty-gritty right off the bat. "Ungod," right from ignition, takes a tried-and-true form of death metal harkening back to better days, days when Obituary and Death were crying out for gore. There is plenty of refinement making up for the time that has passed, however, giving "Ungod" a best-of-both-worlds appeal. The sound quality is cutting and fresh, helping to bring out the crunch in the record's mid-tempo spine and J�ger's explosive grunts, while the band charges through sharp death metal anthems that are big on riffs and heavy on violence.
The real component making "Ungod" a worthy listen is the band's chemistry. It is very clear that the deep-rooted structures and riffs � la Obituary and Death are powerful behind an energetic vocal performance. This is most prevalent during tunes like "God is Evil" or "Voice of Slumber," which wrestle between mid-paced/slowed sections and faster death metal bits. This backbone makes Morgoth a powerful beast, as the riffs and the genuine intensity are never once dropped. Few surprises linger in the effigy, but Morgoth is dependable enough on the death metal front that they don't need to change things up or think outside the coffin. J�ger's performance, again, is superb. Even on "God is Evil," the leadoff single that featured Grewe on vocals, he sounds mauling and ravenous. For a death metal vocalist, J�ger is as good as they come.
My only complaint is that "Ungod" is a bit too fatty. The forty-seven minute record has a few duds, like "Descent into Hell" or "Traitor," which serve to show the world that Morgoth knows its death metal while failing to shake the sense that stronger songs exist not too far away. Just a minor beef of mine among a very fine collection of death metal hymns from one of Germany's finest death metal squads, now back and bloodier than ever. "Ungod" is otherwise an anomaly among the low-quality returns of long-defunct groups giving the metal game another go. Despite the absence of Grewe-a replacement that would've been catastrophic for most-Morgoth is alive and on fire.
Morgoth - Ungod
Rating:
Share this article
Dave Koz & Friends at Sea Cruise, Part 3: All Ashore! The Cruise Reaches Norway and Iceland
Caught In The Act: Cheap Trick Rocks Chicagoland On July 4th
Dave Koz & Friends at Sea Cruise, Part 2: Dave, Dave, Dave!
Sites and Sounds: Montana Folk Festival Coming to Butte (And It's Free!)
Dave Koz & Friends at Sea Cruise, Part 1: Sax Man and Pals Set Sail in Europe
ELO Cancel Their Historic Final Concert Due To Jeff Lynne Illness
Metallica Giving $100,000 To Texas Flood Relief
38 Special Releasing First New Album In 20 Years
Duane and Lisa Betts Announce 2025 Horseshoe Music Fest Lineup
Tyson Ritter of All-American Rejects Revisits 'Dirty Little Secret' For Vevo Footnotes
Joanne Shaw Taylor Unplugs For New Version Of 'Hold Of My Heart'
Goo Goo Dolls Get Nostalgic With 'Nothing Last Forever' Video
Attack Attack! Unleash 'I Complain On R/Metalcore'