Mortiis – The Grudge (7″ Single) (2004)

September 22, 2012

(2020 edit: I apologise for the shitty artwork on this one, Photobucket have laid a watermark over a photo that I took myself, but there we go)

I wasn’t entirely fussed on Mortiis’ much more metal approach in 2004 but there are some cracking tunes on The Grudge, including the title track, packaged here whittled down to a club-size bite. I can’t blame Earache for wanting in on the electro-goth club scene audience that Mortiis so obviously appeals to, but the single edit is, in all honesty, fucking pointless. It takes a great song and makes it less great simply but cutting parts out of it. The Grudge as a song doesn’t quite fall awkwardly into horrible chugging like some tracks off the album but simply showcases a rougher (and ALOT angrier) side to Mortiis whilst retaining the excellent synth and bass sound of earlier efforts.

On side B (or should I say AA) is “Decadent and Desperate”, the big Mortiis single (in my opinion). Not quite sure why this is here if it was later repressed as a single (twice) in it’s own right? Confusing move, Earache, I gotta be honest. “Decadent…” is muddy, riddled with angst only seen the ultra-bad part of nu-metal and is terribly mixed. It is far cry from anything off Smell of Rain. Mortiis is an excellent musician, not to mention performer, but this song is just hands down balls. Ironically, it was his best known song in the circles I hung around in at high school. People dug this song but shunned early Mortiis and even the album this was off! Moron fucking goths! Ha ha!