Hard to tell how seriously we're supposed to take Mortiis. Given his appearance--Viking helmet, pointy prosthetic nose, white makeup, black eyeliner, flowing black hair--it seems as though he's a laugh-out-loud parody of all things goth. That he has a shady background as a onetime member of the anti-Christian black-metal band Emperor only adds to the fun. How jarring, then, that the music he makes is actually...amazing. Totally original in approach, Født til å Herske ("Born to Rule") forsakes song structure entirely and presents two 25-minute suites of beautifully epic keyboard composition. Mortiis calls it "dark dungeon music," but you also get the sense that he's aiming for something aboveground--heroic symphonies that conjure up images of Norse warriors carrying the bodies of their wounded comrades across the fjords. Despite its repetitive structures, it's an immensely satisfying and inspiring listen. At the very least, it's great soundtrack music for reading Icelandic sagas or looting and pillaging small English villages. --Steve Landau
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