MORKVIND is a Black Metal project out of Lund, Sweden. It is the brainchild of Vindur, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. His latest release is a four-track EP, "Undergång," issued through Cult of Parthenope on March 27, 2021. While his debut full-length was more along the lines of Viking/Folk, this offering is Melodic Black Metal with some distinct Atmospheric leanings. The album title translates to "doom" in English, but the album doesn't have any doom sensibilities, at least not musically speaking.

The EP taps out at 21 minutes, though my review copy was over two hours long. Guessing there was a bit of glitch there. Going with the 21-minute version for this review! Vindur seems to favor the guitar and synths as the bass and drums are somewhat subdued, but that could be a matter of mixing rather than skillset or even preference. Afterall Vindur does cover drum duties for Italian Black Metalists AD OMEGA. His vocal performance for MORKVIND, which is interspersed with spoken word, is suitably harsh and haunting.

For an Atmospheric piece, this album isn't bad. If you're looking for an aggressive, evil-soaked onslaught, you'll need to go elsewhere. This lot is hypnotic and enthralling. All the tracks are fairly consistent, so I would be hard pressed to pick favorites . . . but if you insist. First up, I'll go with the opening track, "Liv." In my book, it's the heaviest of the bunch, though heavy is a relative term. It does deconstruct in a few different directions during the latter half, but that's a positive and adds some sophistication to the track. For the number two spot, I'll go with "Fråga Pulvret" for its compositional complexity, which gives it a nuanced, layered vibe-again, leaning into the Atmospheric.

Lyrically, it's all Swedish to me, literally. I attempted a translation, but Google said hell no. So here we are. Probably not love songs, an ode to pick-up trucks, or a reimagining of Christian hymns. As far as visual aesthetics, I was once told that choosing cover art is a significant undertaking, at least for the more serious artists. In this case, I'd say the artwork is spot on and matches the essence of the EP perfectly - monochromatic, stripped down, saturated darkness. Good stuff.

Altogether, "Undergång" is a solid offering. Vindur seems to be exploring some different terrains with this project. I think he's now proven himself across the Viking/Folk as well Melodic landscapes, though there is certainly more to explore in both of those regions. I'm interested to see what comes next.