What we have here is 4 song mCD of old Mortuary Drape songs re-recorded in 1995 (with the exception of the first track, which was recorded during the 1991 "Into the Drape" sessions). The majority of the release is heavier than the material on "Into the Drape", with less of an emphasis on bass-work (which made them sound quite a bit like Necromantia IMHO) and the guitar now plays a much more predominant/conventional role. It's also generally faster in pace and has more of a "deathy" feel to it. The first song is of course the exception to the rule, as it was (as already mentioned) recorded during the "Into the Drape" sessions, so it basically carries on in the same tradition as that release.

While I do like the new (?) direction Mortuary Drape have taken, I still prefer their older, more "sparse" sound. This time around, things are fairly "dense" sounding and very rigid - and while this gives Mortuary Drape a new found feel of power and morbidity, I miss the free-flowing orientation of the old stuff. Still, this is a good release, and perhaps a better starting point for those looking to explore Mortuary Drape as it's much more "coherent" and easier to identify with song structure wise than the older material (I'll be the first to admit that while the older material is superior, it's also much more difficult to "get your head around" due to it's very loose arrangements and unconventional style). I give this the thumbs up...

© 1999 chorazaim