Forward-thinking Canadian band MORS VERUM are giving their own interpretation to the death metal style, creating music that is simultaneously dissonant, progressive, and atmospheric. They've removed the shackles of the otherwise linear and niche style and have allowed their music to explore different realms whilst retaining the death metal sound along with its sharp dissonant edge. The experience feels at once liberating and cathartic, as though having achieved epiphany after constant, dogged exploration. The lengthier song lengths never feel tedious either as the band embarks on their newfound path with relative ease and confidence. On "Canvas," they have adopted a fascinating approach to the style, one that is beautifully tempered yet adventurous enough to excite.

The album has five songs, and "Bloodied Teeth" is first. The opening tones are weighted and dissonant. While the vocals are delivered in guttural bursts, the music moves beneath them. Heavy bass notes and dexterous drumming hold down the bottom end. "Your Apocalypse" has a similar sound. The guitar rhythms are choppy and there is plenty of dissonance in them, and the vocals are fairly straightforward gutturals that do rise with anger at times. The really odd thing about the music so far is that although it is heavy and aggressive, it's also comforting. "Serenade" is where the band throws you a bit of a curveball. It comes out of the gate high with tension, almost like something stirs in the shadows. It steadily grows more dangerous along the ride, and one of the best parts of the album so far is the bass guitar forward sound.

The title track crawls forward with a slow, choppy rhythm and thick bass notes that reverberate in your skull. Listen to some of the guitar chord progressions…they are always moving and shifting, which is rare for the genre. "Mortal" is the last song; a final act of defiance. It has a bit of a slow start but once those guitars get going, it's like a chainsaw firing up. The landscape is rich, lush, and busy, but each note is quite calculated. This was a fascinating album. When I hear the term Death Metal, I get images of rotting flesh, destruction and death, and even guttural noise. But here, the music was alive…moving, breathing, never standing still. It's ardent enough for the common fan, but also offers a kaleidoscope of other sounds for those of us looking for something different.