(Live Review) MORTISS + SUPPORT - Reggie's Rock Club, Chicago (9/11/24)

By

The Beard & Little Johnny

Good day friends, fans, and followers, it is your favorite reviewing duo The Beard and Little Johnny. Tonight we mark another milestone here in 2024. For those who have followed our shenanigans this year, we are attending show number 56 and bands 197-200. That’s right it is our second consecutive year blowing past two hundred bands reviewed.

Tonight, we are At Reggie’s Rock Club on the south side of Chicago for dungeon synth, (a form of black metal mixed with electronica), headlined by Norway’s own black elf Mortiss. In support are Sweden's dark ambient death act Brighter Death Now, Massachusetts dungeon synth group Sombre Arcane and a little local flavor from Chicago’s own Mors Vitaque. Having not really seen bands from this sub-genre, The Beard and Little Johnny were not entirely certain what to expect as we rolled into Reggie’s. Would the crowd be costumed? Would it be metal, emo, goth? Little Johnny suggested wearing his leather hood. This offer was immediately discouraged because I was fairly sure that would not be allowed, and now I am wondering why Johnny owns a leather hood in the first place. (Ed: Obviously he's a Mentors fan!)

We arrived about fifteen minutes before the doors opened and observed three ladies in front of us. These ladies were not just costumed, they were fully committed to the cause. Very impressive efforts.

We got in, checked out the merchandise area, grabbed our beers, (a couple of Hazy Pitch’s), and toasted our 200th band of the year. Then we separated to our respective viewing areas. The Beard headed to the balcony while Johnny went to the front of the stage.

The background preshow music was a preview of what was to come, dark electronica that conjured mental images of wandering castle corridors alone with only the moon to show the way. Various patrons were dressed as elves, wizards, and trolls. Johnny wondered if perhaps we had wandered into Comicon by mistake.

MORS VITAQUE

First up were a Chicago duo who went by the names of Nightshade and Alkilith, local act Mors Vitaque.

This duo presented music drawn from their ambient laden album Another Path. This was dark spooky music presented via keyboards by two men who were costumed for a Halloween party. The lead was in white shroud with some odd headpiece that looked kind of like Taylor Swift's bedazzled porcupine was on his head while the other wore a black death shroud. It was as if the ghost of Christmas yet to come had a side gig playing keyboard music.

Now, this all seemed odd to me as I had not been to this style of live show before, but I observed that the crowd, (which was not fully packed, but probably had a couple hundred in attendance), was respectfully silent during this act. They were paying attention, but there were no shouts or catcalls. There seemed to be a legitimate buy-in to this audio aural construct.

What’s it like down there Johnny? “I’m think I am here with zombies Beard. They just sway and watch the stage without talking hardly. It’s a little weird."

Although mostly instrumental, the final number included chanting and the kind of vocal output one might have heard deep in a monastery. Having little to compare it to, I will go 70/100.

SOMBRE ARCANE

Second up were east coast dungeon synth act Sombre Arcane.

Sombre Arcane was touring behind what might be considered a concept album (although not officially billed that way), Realm Song, (a release consisting of twelve canticles.) The music mixed synth with the sound of medieval harmonies and drumbeats. Early songs had some technical issues which marred the creative ambience. Once they got rolling, it was kind of the visual equivalent of a warrior and a wizard playing synth music. Pieces had such grandiose titles as “A day’s march through the ancient Elven Forest”.

Little Johnny just texted “Beard, that Gandalf guy up there looks like you.” Thanks little dude.

The music of Sombre Arcane was less spooky, and more like a fantasy movie score. At times, the synth was reminiscent of ELP if Keith Emerson were playing a D&D soundtrack mixed with some chapel music. The toughest thing (for me personally) was the technical dropouts that occurred throughout the whole set as it disrupted the flow they were trying to create and therefore the set suffered accordingly. Otherwise, Sombre Arcane had more going on than Mors Vitaque. They were similar to acts like Arcana. With the technical issues weighing it down though, I can only go 73/100.

BRIGHTER DEATH NOW

Third on stage (sort of) was Swedish act Brighter Death Now.

This was the artistic expression of Roger Karmanik who as the founder of Cold Meat Industry record label has produced eighteen albums, plus numerous EP’s and live releases. This was a largely dark stage with black and white video footage of apocalyptic and disturbing imagery being shown while a low-end rumbling permeated the stage area.

This went on and on without a trace of what might normally be called music. Perhaps if one were doing an audio presentation of retrieving dead bodies on a foggy street at night during the time of the Black Death, it might resemble what we saw.

Any thoughts Johnny? "Yeah Beard, this is like what that kid who only dresses in black and quotes Nietzsche does for his interpretive art project and then claims nobody gets it". You know who Nietzsche is little dude? "Of course, I’m not an idiot Beard."

 Ultimately, pictures of a dark stage would be pointless, so none are included with this review. As the “music?” progressed, later numbers sounded like that odd two-piece black metal act Abruptum where most of it was just moans and screams with dark imagery showing on the back screens.

Afterwards, Little Johnny and I discussed this unique act. Trying to remain optimistically understanding, I offered that in 1990, (during the second movement of black metal in Europe), Mayhem band leader Euronoymous might have described an act like Brighter Death Now as “the dark audio essence of evil.” Johnny just looked at me and said, “Well Beard, that may be so, but in 2024, Little Johnny is calling it a lot of pointless noise.” We agreed to honor the “Evil” by scoring Better Death Now a 66.6/100 and then placing the coffin lid on it.

MORTISS

Finally, headlining what has definitely been an evening filled with the arty side of metal music, was former Emperor member turned solo artist turned dark ambient band Mortiss.

Originally the bass player in black metal legends Emperor, Mortiss left that band around 1993 and began creating his own unique vision of black metal mixed with electronica. In 2001, Mortiss attempted a live solo act of electropop with his release The Smell of Rain.

This quickly proved unsuccessful, and Mortiss began to add band members by the end of that year. Picking up a decidedly more industrial bent, Mortiss would release three more albums, both alienating old fans and gaining new ones. After a four-year break/hiatus between 2011-15, Mortiss tried reinventing himself once again, but found no great traction until 2020 when he ultimately returned to the darkwave style dungeon synth he had previously performed with Spirit of Rebellion.

Originally, Mortiss heavily embraced his stage look as a dark elf or troll like character, then he began to steer away from it during his industrial releases returning to the look in recent years. When asked about its significance, Mortiss stated that he grew up seeing bands like KISS and Alice Cooper and liked the stage appearance aspects those acts presented.

Mortiss occupied a stage dimly lit and heavily fogged making him almost invisible throughout the set. His dark ambient keyboard playing was haunting, but ever so discordant as well. His troll/elf like visage looked like what might peer out of a dark woods upon an unsuspecting child. Visible through the fog for a moment and then slipping back into the gloom. This phantom of the darkwave opera was compelling, but not to where I felt a need to obtain any Mortiss material. He played just a fraction under an hour and then said, “Thank You” and slipped back into the fog and off the stage ending the show.

Afterwards, as Johnny and I headed out into the night, the little guy shook his head and said, “that was some weird music Beard.” No argument here little dude. Even though there was clearly an audience for it, dungeon synth does not seem to be for us. With respect to the very committed members of the crowd, we are awarding Mortiss a 76/100.

This wrapped up show number 56 and bands 197-200. Tune in each Wednesday on The Mighty Decibel for our live concert review of the week, (as well as other award-winning shows on the site), then check out all the videos on TikTok at thebeard0728. Finally, friend and follow Mark McQueen on Facebook for all the non-metal reviews.

Until next time, this is The Beard & Little Johnny saying ... Live Life, Stay Heavy and Horns Up.