Morgul

Black Metal - Norway

MORGUL emerged from the darkness of the grim Norwegian metal scene back in 1990. The demonic duo consisted of drummer Hex and Jack D. Ripper a.k.a. J Maestro Discordia, for demons have many names. Hailing from Rade, the countryside that surrounds Oslo, the band was quick to release their incantations in the form of their “Vargvinter” demo. Another demo quickly followed, “In Gowns Flowing Wide” which summoned the attention of Napalm Records. The Austrian label released two full length records, 1998s “Lost in Shadows Grey” and 1999s “Parody of the Mass” which built up quite a flame in the fires of the worldwide black metal underground.

This fire was soon felt by Century Media records and in 1999 MORGUL sealed an unholy alliance with the label. Prior to the recording of their debut release for the label, “The Horror Grandeur”, Hexx descended from the band, leaving J Maestro Discordia to become the sole soul of the band.

“The Horror Grandeur” possessed the spirits of J Maestro Discordias early influences from such bands as IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER, WASP, BATHORY and CELTIC FROST as well as reaching towards the soul of the current metal scene. These aspects allowed MORGUL to step down into new musical ground. The Maestros dark classical arrangements combined with his obsessions for cold industrial soundscapes and Scandinavian and Slavic folk-compositions, made both “The Horror Grandeur” and his 2nd Century Media release “Sketch of Supposed Murderer” an adventure between the best of many underworlds.

MORGUL released itself from Century Media in 2003. Not wanting the meddling of the music industry at the time, MORGUL went on to record a self financed fifth album. Season of Mist had shown interested in the recording and it was eventually offered to the label.

This fifth creation, “All Dead Here” sees the Maestro continue down his left hand path of dementia laden with dark, gloomy sound collages and eerie string arrangements. And while it still leads the listener down to the deepest underbelly of metal, it also takes them onto many unfamiliar paths and unexplored territories.