During the late years of the 80s, in a talk with an old friend of mine (that left Metal scene to play Pop Rock) he questioned ‘why Death Metal bands can’t play using melodies?’, and as a teenager without the needed maturing, I couldn’t explain such thing. And during the 90s, with CARCASS, AT THE GATES, DARK TRANQUILITY and IN FLAMES seemed to have heard such talk and kickstarted what became Melodic Death Metal, and since then, the genre evolved and gained am ample set of elements. But even in such way, there are some bands that prefer to hold ground on the older approach, in that seminal formula of the 90s, as the Belgian band MORDKAUL, as heard on “Feed the Machine”, its second full-length.

The words above states that we are dealing with a band that works on what could be easily called as Old School Melodic Death Metal (please, it’s just a description, it doesn’t mean that you must live on only one musical genre), because they take references from Gothenburg scene due its defined melodies embodying a massive aggressiveness. But the band isn’t copying anyone or just using a successful formula, but does things on their own way (because some elements of classic Death Metal can be heard on the mix). And let me tell you: the energy and personal appeal of their music is enough to grant them an opportunity, because a new titan of the genre can be arising!

Tim Bekaert (the band’s rhythmic guitarist) took the duties of production, and themixing and mastering were delivered to the hands of the Death Metal Wiseman Dan Swanö, who extracted the best of the recordings, creating a defined and old-fashioned sonority in the vein of what Melodic Death Metal was in the 90s, but on an updated form that’s great. As guests to give a different flavor in some moments are Nicholas Gauwloos (who played bass on “Dead Heart Awake”, “They Burn”, “Shadowlord”, “Hellspawn” and “Passage to Oblivion”), James McIlroy (former guitarist of CRADLE OF FILTH) on the lead guitars on “Shadowlord” and “Passage to Oblivion”, Johnny Facial (bassist of BURNING FALLUS) on the piano on “Passage to Oblivion”, Martijn Debonnet (guitarist/vocalist of DYSCORDIA) making the samples, and Tim on the rhythm guitars (he seems to left the band after the recordings). And to make things even better, the art of Timur Khabirov (artwork, design) and Kris Martens (layout) depicts what the band musically creates.

“Feed the Machine” comes to show that the band has a huge potential to be turned in the music due their compromise of playing with an old insight on Melodic Death Metal, but trying to explore possibilities and create their own musical path. And if you have doubts about such words, hear what they deliver on “Crown of Worms” (the combination of melodies and brutality here is amazing, depict the influences of the past, but with a lot of brutal elements, as the shrieks of the vocals and the blast beats of the drums), “In Dead Eyes” (the grasping imposed by the Hard Rock hooks made Death Metal here are excellent, with a storm of bitter riffs and six strings arrangements, and what great chorus), “Welcome to the Sixth Stage of Grief” (this one has a more aggressive appeal, with insane blast beats and great work from bass guitar and drums), “For I Am Machine” (another set of excellent melodies entwined with aggressiveness and a fine technical appeal), “Beast of Dread”, “Dead Heart Awake”, “They Burn”, “Shadowlord” (there’s a better shaped melodic appeal on this one, and what great lead guitar parts), “Hellspawn” and “Passage to Oblivion” (the ‘break’ with pianos fits perfectly on the song). You won’t regret the experience!

As final words, congratulations to MORDKAUL for creating such fine piece of music as heard on “Feed the Machine”.