Label: Praetorian Sword Records
Date: March 1st, 2025
Once upon a time, in a New Zealand far, far away, there was a zine that introduced me to this country’s underground strongholds. “Axiom of the Elite” held on for a total of three issues, but was able to gather the prime of the current local scene. Furthermore, the thing came with a compilation which held all the bands included in the issue at hand. Okay, it didn’t feature the most prominent representatives, Diocletian nor Ulcerate, but if you’re a follower of the extreme music, you’re should be well aware of their respective work. However, you might not be familiar with Exordium Mors. Neither was I, until the friendly neighbour at Grom Records (all hail Milan!) supplied a copy of the zine.
It’s been over a decade since the band first blasted out of my speakers. One song, “Ancestors’ Call”, from then actual EP titled “Sacrifice, Perish and Demise”. More than enough to cause excitation upon hearing that the band is going to tour the Balkans and storm through my own city on the way. Supporting them on the night, just as on the whole tour, was my former band, so there was nothing but pure rejoice when entering the venue on that night.
Now, this is not a live report, though on that note, Exordium Mors did erupt with explosive energy from that stage. As for their newest studio output, they are back to the EP format, three songs, sixteen minutes long. Most notable change happened in the line-up. The long-time running frontman, Scourge Witchfucker, exited the ranks. One would expect it to have a major effect on the band, especially since the guy was also responsible for the lyrics. Sure enough, there are no lyrics to be found anywhere, so I can’t quite tell if there was a certain lagging in that department, but as far as the vocals are concerned, they are covered nicely. Shared duties of three persons made for a dynamic execution in the past too and now that there’s more of an equal spread, it’s even more evident, the tone its giving to the tracks.
The switch behind the skins is sort of less evident. The Nomad, as the new Exordium Mors drummer refers to himself, is a highly skilled drummer. As one needs to be, since the music these New Zealanders perform dictates tremendous effort. Hence, the man’s inclusion remains somewhat obscured by the fact that his predecessors also needed the highest level to reaffirm what the strings were letting out.
All that being said, the most important aspect of “Sworn to Heresy” is the music itself, not the people behind the music. In that regard, Exordium Mors very much keeps to their own. On surface, this is the same, fairly technical type of blackened death metal that the band has used across their two decades of existence. Ferocious, violent, extremely aggressive, but still controlled chaos spewing forth the sonic blasphemy familiarized by bands such as Destroyer 666 or Absu. It’s as if Vital Remains and Immolation dedicated themselves to early Emperoresque black metal and added the ancient scent of open sarcophagus at Nile’s front row. Rhythmically diverse, structurally heterogenous, rich in varieties of guitar tricks, from disharmonious chord progressions to maddening solos (and everything in between), the EP is seemingly an unstable construction about to collapse upon the lessening attention of the listener.
Still, you should bear with it. Hold out to the moment when it grabs you. For all its pulverizing power, Exordium Mors didn’t forget the atmosphere. There’s no question if these tracks contain catchy riffs. They don’t. An attempt or two of nearly a chorus, in “Torquemada” most obviously, but what will get you on “Sworn to Heresy” is the hectic atmosphere which evokes a vibrant video presentation yet unaccomplished. The mentioned “Torquemada” should be a hint into the Spanish inquisition, though there’s this chant which seems to be “Ave”. Whether a Roman connection lays somewhere within, remains unknown to me. “Oath” seems to be a call for blasphemous upheaval. “Dawn of the Crimson Sun” could also be a sign of humanity’s rebirth outside of the sign of the cross. I have no lyrics, aside of those for “Oath”, so the rest are just works of my own imagination. Still, the undeniable violent aura fits like a glove and Exordium Mors delivers in relentless wrath.
So, here you have around sixteen minutes of material, created by a band experienced in dreadfully aggressive yet challenging black / death metal with slight traces of thrash. A brutal force live and just about so in studio setting. Let us not underestimate the threatening long white clouds!
