My review of Mortification album "Realm of the Skelator".

It seems Steve and Co have really worked hard on Realm of the Skelator to address some of the common complaints been made about recent Mort albums. Things such as weak song structures, repetitive songs, cheesy lyrics and of course the vocals. 

The first thing I noticed different on first track The Call is the excellent riffage and time changes. Seconds in  I knew this album was going to be different. Before any song can get boring or repetitive some new musical twist pops up and takes the song in a new direction. No time to get bored. When listening to ROTS through the first time I kept thinking "WOW". The song writing is fresh, interesting and complex.

In the past Mortification have tried to mix styles up and try several vocals styles all on the one album. But what happens is the fans only really like a couple of songs on each album rather than thinking the whole album is awesome. But we don't have that problem with ROTS. The album has a very similar vocal approach throughout with Steve using a growled style which works really well. They're not Scrolls style vocals but they still sound killer. No clean singing here. Steve especially does some SICK vocals on Feed Your Hungry Ears and Total Thrashing Death. 

Musically the album is a thrash death metal hybrid style with a generous helping of killer melodies. ROTS is a much more musically consistent effort than recent albums. There are plenty of sick riffs that stick in your head after each song is over. I would describe ROTS as perhaps a mixture of the best bits of Relentless, Erasing and PMA.

The lyrics seem well written and of course share the gospel message. This album is more of a band approach. All members contribute to the song writing. There is even two songs where Steve didn't write the lyrics.

If this is the last Mortification album it couldn't be a better end note. Perhaps they have saved the best for last?? Maybe not but ROTS would be in my top 3 Mort albums. 

This could be the album if the year for me

Wow really glad to hear another positive review.
Now am I am even more excited  to get mine in the mail

Very well put Mephibosheth!!!  It definately is the most complex in terms of song structures, unlike any other album they have done.  It is fresh and different and you can hear lots of styles from past albums like Break The Curse, Mortification, PMA, Erasing The Goblin, Relentless, Envision but in a way sounds nothing like those albums.... I have enjoyed all Mort albums over the years, their songs have never been complicated or technical, just simple verse, chorus, verse, chorus etc but this is just WOW!!!