Review: “Molae Mortis” by Dysease

“The cover concept is inspired by a fascinating yet cruel natural phenomenon: ants blindly follow the pheromone trails left by their predecessors to orient themselves. If an ant chooses the wrong path, it unintentionally creates what is known as a “death spiral,” from which there is no escape. With “Molae Mortis” (“Mills of Death”), we transfer this phenomenon to our present. Too often, we try to face problems and challenges by walking well-known paths that often lead to nowhere.” ~ Dysease

Hailing from the Siegen in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, Dysease was formed by former members of Iuramentum, Skin Harvest, Morok, and Defector in 2018, their burning dark desire to tell stories in Death Metal with a haunting touch. March 2023 saw the arrival of “Era Of Decay“, a debut EP which left scorch marks in its wake and with a sound engineer in their ranks in bassist Dimitrij Vetter, it wasn’t going to be long before a follow up arrived. Described by the band as weaving a narrative of relentless fear, pervasive despair and the inescapable bleakness of the human condition in a world beyond redemption, “Molae Mortis” is the second chapter. Recorded and mixed in house, the band utilized the skills of former Aborted guitarist Mendel bij de Leij (Catalysis, The Artifice Precept, The Behest Of Serpents) to master.

The unmistakeable dry, rasping vocals of René “Wolles” Ax have wrapped around them down tuned seven string guitars as “Monuments of Fear” unfolds, an opening cut that has Melodic Death Metal sensibilities. Tasteful and groove laden with a peach of a chugging mid section that circles the drain of a breakdown without quite reaching it, it asks the question, can humanity escape a meteor shower of fire and destruction having failed to heed the warnings? Bleak, foreboding and atmospheric its a sure fire winner. A funky little solo and an atmospheric moment adds a little fun to the opening phrases of “Hypocritical Oath” before the intensity increases and the band dance in Death Thrash. You can’t help bang your head with some of their catch refrains, the nuances in the riff department impressing greatly as Dysease bring a wealth of ideas to the King’s table. Yes, there are a couple of moments that might have been considered Metalcore twenty years ago but in truth those are few and far between. More often the band move seamlessly between sub-genres of Melodic, Death, Progressive and Thrash while making it sound incredibly easy. That’s testament to time spent in the rehearsal space, perfecting these tunes prior to committing their cryptic writings to tape and it has been time well spent because the results showcase impeccable musicianship. 

The juxtaposition between the brilliance of the riffs and the bleak lyrical narrative of “The Path” is a bold one as Wolles speaks of the downfall of humanity where dreams fade and people follow a destructive path. A spoken word brings out the bands accenting as there is no mistaking the German phrasing on the English words that is usually hidden by the harsh uncleans, something which adds a little charm. A story that explores the boundaries between fascination and moral awakening “Echoes of Redemption” is just as beautify deep as its predecessors while offering a little creepy thrill. Again the riffs are as spellbinding as the lyrical narrative, the rumbling bass and intricate percussion making it very much the complete, enthralling package. Part of the joy of this record is that you can switch your brain off and simply enjoy the music but if you wish to, the lyric sheet is there to offer something to immerse yourself in. Dysease are the kind of band that you want to witness live because the quality of their studio recordings are second to none [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Monuments of Fear
2. Hypocritical Oath
3. The Path
4. Echoes of Redemption

“Molae Mortis” by Dysease is out 3rd December 2024