Mortification (band)

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Mortification
Origin Australia
Genre(s) Christian metal
Death metal
Thrash metal
Power Metal
Years active 1990–present
Label(s) Intense Records
Nuclear Blast
Rowe Productions
Website Official website
Members
Steve Rowe
Damien Percy
Mick Jelinic
Former members
Jayson Sherlock
Phil Gibson
Keith Bannister
Bill Rice
Adam Zaffarese
Mike Forsberg
Cameron Hall
Michael Carlisle
Lincoln Bowen
Jeff Lewis

Mortification is a Christian extreme metal band from Australia, founded in 1990 from the 1980s metal band LightForce by Steve Rowe, Cameron Hall and Jayson Sherlock. One of the first bands of its genre, Mortification serves as inspiration for many of today's Christian metal bands. Over the years Mortification has released over twenty records and several videos on major record labels such as Nuclear Blast and Metal Blade. During the early 1990's, Mortification belonged to the elite of the death metal movement especially with their widely praised album Scrolls of the Megilloth[1]. After the departure of their original drummer Mortification began experimenting with groove metal, hardcore punk and power metal. They achieved notable commercial success with Blood World, though many critics lost their interest in their albums after the critically acclaimed EnVision EvAngelene[2]. Mortification is probably both the most successful extreme metal band to come from Australia[2] and the most successful Christian extreme metal group in the World.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Original line-up

In the late-eighties, bassist Steve Rowe played in the Australian classic metal band LightForce, a group which saw moderate success in its homeland. Around 1990, the band broke up. Steve, still determined to play heavy music with a Christian message, soon joined with drummer Jayson Sherlock and guitarist Cameron Hall under the LightForce name to release the 1990 demo, Break the Curse. With this release, the band changed musically towards thrash metal with a death metal influence. Feeling that their new musical direction merited a new name, the band retitled itself Mortification.

 Music samples:

"Scrolls of the Megilloth"

Sample of "Scrolls of the Megilloth" by Mortification, from Scrolls of the Megilloth (1992). The album's music garnered the band some attention from the heavy metal underground and, according to All Music Guide, contains some of the most frightening vocals ever recorded.[3] >
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

In 1991, they released their self-titled debut album Mortification on the American Christian label Intense Records. Michael Carlisle replaced guitarist Cameron Hall, and the direction of the music changed once again. A lot of the songs were taken from their demo Break the Curse, but the band tuned their guitars down, and the feel to the songs was a lot more heavy and doomy than on previous material. Also, Steve proved to be an excellent death metal vocalist, presenting his "Grind Baritone vocals of extreme reality"[1] throughout the album.

In 1992, the band had signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records in Germany, who had the biggest death metal names on their roster. Mortification released their second album, Scrolls of the Megilloth, which had great success, and in the Christian metal scene is considered a classic as well as a piece of Australian metal history[1]. The line-up had outdone themselves, playing some fast death metal with a few doom metal influences on a couple of tracks. According to All Music Guide, the album contains "some of the most frightening vocals ever recorded."[4] Scrolls of the Megilloth became so popular, even cited as a masterpiece[5], that all their future albums would be compared to it – a burden Mortification would never escape[5]. A video-compilation titled Grind Planets which featured eight Mortification music-videos shot by film maker Neil Johnson was also released. Grind Planets, a word play of the term "Rock Star"[6] presented a more humorous side of Mortification on the "On the Road" material in contrast with their serious message about spiritual warfare - a common theme among Christian extreme metal bands during early 1990's when anti-Christian bands such as Deicide and Morbid Angel gained popularity.

The band conquered new ground with their 1993 release Post Momentary Affliction. Most notably, the vocal style shifted, adding some thrash-like screams to the already-familiar metal growls. The band also experimented with the industrial style. Jayson Sherlock had his last concert with the band at the Blackstump Festival '93, and the concert was released both on CD and also VHS under the name Live Planetarium. A big US major magazine cited the Live Planetarium video as the best live album and video they have ever seen and heard.[7] Jayson joined Paramæcium, and Phil Gibson replaced him as Mortification's drummer.

[edit] Commercial Success

The band released a new album in 1994 called Blood World. They leaned more towards modern groove/thrash with classic metal and hardcore punk influence[7] rather than death metal, and Steve mainly used his shouts rather than growling. Phil and Michael left the band, and Steve stood by himself. The strange combination of extreme styles began setting Mortification apart from the crowd of same sounding bands and widened the band’s audience as they became quickly recognised as innovators and not imitators.[7] Blood World received rave reviews in America and Europe. Horror Infernal Magazine gave the album 13 out of 13 points.[7] Blood World eventually became their best selling album.[5]

1994 also saw the birth of Steve's own record label, "Rowe Productions." Also, Break the Curse was remixed and re-released by Nuclear Blast Records with a bonus track called "Butchered Mutilation".

Together with numerous friends, Steve recorded the album Primitive Rhythm Machine which was released in 1995. The sound of the album is really nasty and messy with a tribal-percussion to it. Musically, Steve mixed all the styles Mortification had played in the past, death metal, thrash metal and groove metal.

Also, Mortification's The Best of Five Years were released. A compilation album of older material. 2 songs from each previous release made a good introduction to new fans, and showed the bands innovation. This was the last album to be released by Mortification through Intense Records.

In 1996, Steve Rowe started his search for a new drummer and guitarist. The drum position was filled by long time roadie Keith Bannister, who had become a Christian during the first Mortification tour back in 1990. He learned how to play the drums while Mortification was on tour, and when they came back, Steve saw that he had been practicing, and was amazed at his progress, and instantly chose him to fill the spot as the drummer of the band. The guitar position was filled by guitarist Lincoln Bowen. Together, they recorded the album EnVision EvAngelene. This disc mixed elements of classic metal, thrash metal and added a punk feel to some of the songs. The first cut is an epic 18+ minute about Christ's crucifixion from the angels point of view.

Two live EPs were also released, Noah Sat Down and Listened to the Mortification Live EP While Having a Coffee and Live without Fear. Unlike their first live album Live Planetarium from the Black Stump Music and Arts Festival, this was recorded at a small club, with a raw sound.

A video compilation called EnVidion was released, containing numerous music-videos and interviews. Also released this year was a novel by Steve Rowe titled "Minstrel."

[edit] Struggle with Leukemia

In the next year, Steve Rowe contracted a disease that would drag him down for the next year and a half: Acute Lymphatic Leukemia. Despite a seemingly failed bone marrow transplant, Steve survived the illness.

Soon after his recovery, Mortification recorded and released Triumph of Mercy in 1998, which was released by Rowe Productions in the US and Nuclear Blast Germany in Europe. Lyrically, the album focused on the experiences of Steve and the band during Steve's two-year trial. The style of the album was a mixture of groove and thrash.

1999 saw the release of Hammer of God, also a mix of thrash and groove. The death metal elements had vanished, but the religious message of the lyrics remained.

In 2000, Mortification released another live album, recorded at Blackstump Festival in 1999, called 10 Years Live Not Dead, which mainly featured material from their newer albums plus a new song called "Dead Man Walking". Keith Bannister left the band, and a replacement was found in the very young drummer Adam Zaffarese.

The new line-up released the album The Silver Cord is Severed in 2000 and the band went on its first world tour. The music continued to be thrash and groove. While many fans thought the album was the weakest effort in the band's career, The Silver Cord is Severed sold well like it's precessors. This was due to the fact that - like Nuclear Blast founder Markus Staiger stated in a newsletter - had become "some kind of superstars in the Christian metal scene".[8] At the end of 2000 Lincoln Bowen left, and the band was split, which seemed like it was the end of Mortification.

A collection of Mortification songs was released in 2002 on the compilation-album Ten Years 1990 - 2000 Power, Pain, and Passion.

However, things changed when the guitarists Jeff Lewis and Mick Jelinic joined the band, and in 2002 they released Relentless. The band went in a slightly more heavy direction with a good dose of thrash and classic metal. The band played live as a 4-piece only a couple of times, as Jeff Lewis left the band.

[edit] Return to Death/Thrash Roots

2004 saw the released of Brain Cleaner, now with ex-Cybergrind and current Martyrs Shrine drummer Mike Forsberg. This was the heaviest release from the band in 10 years, and fast thrash dominates the album with lots of groove and death metal influences.

In 2006, Mortification released a new album. It was originally titled Impaling the Goblin, but after many complaints that in some cultures this term had a sexual connotation to it, they changed the name to Erasing the Goblin. The album, with a cover which features a warrior throwing a sword into a goblin sitting on a rocking chair in a cave, is said to be a take on their older death/thrash sound around the time of their first 2-3 albums.[9]

[edit] Band members

[edit] Current members

[edit] Former members

[edit] Drums

  • Jayson Sherlock - (1990 - 1993)
  • Phil Gibson - (1994)
  • Keith Bannister - (1996 - 1999)
  • Adam Zaffarese - (2000 - 2003)
  • Mike Forsberg - (2003 - 2005)

Bill Rice recorded "Primitive Rhythm Machine" as guest musician

[edit] Guitar

  • Cameron Hall - (1990)
  • Michael Carlisle - (1991 - 1994)
  • Lincoln Bowen - (1996 - 2001)
  • Jeff Lewis - (2002)

Jason Campbell, Dave Kellogg and George Ochoa recorded "Primitive Rhythm Machine" as guest musicians

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums (as Lightforce)

[edit] Albums (as Mortification)

[edit] Bootlegs

  • 1992 - Australia Live
  • 1995 - Distarnished Priest
  • 1995 - Live Planetarium 2
  • 2003 - Conquer The Stump
  • 2004 - Total Thrashing Death

[edit] Compilations

  • Nuclear Blast Presents! Summer Blast 1994
  • Hot Metal V: Screaming Truth
Track 7- An interview with Mortification
Track 8- Distarnish Priest
  • Godspeed: Australian Metal Compilation- Time Crusaders (Studio Demo Version)
  • Tourniquet/Mortification collector's edition CD single
Track 9- Your Life
Track 10- J.G.S.H.
Track 11- Love Song
Track 12- A Short Interview with Steve Rowe on the History of Mortification


[edit] Videos

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Kraemer, Chris. Mortification - Scrolls of the Megilloth Review. The Metal Observer. Retrieved on 2006-04-21.
  2. ^ a b c Interviews by Gary Garson and Peter Schultz, translations by J. Grym, additional notes by Mape Ollila. Maailman metalli: Australia. Article about Australian metal today in the biggest Finnish metal site Imperiumi.Net (in Finnish).
  3. ^ Dombek, Kirk (04-10-2007). Mortification. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
  4. ^ Dombek, Kirk. Mortification. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
  5. ^ a b c Waters, Scott. A Brief Mortification History. No Life 'til Metal. Nolifetilmetal.com.
  6. ^ The term "Grind Planets" was explained in the video credits: "We thought it was funny when people came up to us and said "What's it like being a Rock Star?" After the funny aspect departed we realised that many people became easily prideful through human admiration. We are glad that people enjoy our music and appreciate the comments but wish to draw our identity from Christ and point the listener in his direction. He is the only way to eternal life. We are Grind Planets...the opposite of Rock Stars." Grind Planets DVD Reissue (SM007)
  7. ^ a b c d Mortification Biography, Australian Music Online. Amo.org.au
  8. ^ Press Release of Nuclear Blast to "Triumph of Mercy", re-released in German Mortification fansite. Mortification.de
  9. ^ Kraemer, Chris. Mortification Interview. The Metal Observer. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
  10. ^ Olson, Chad (July/August 1998). "Album Reviews: MORTIFICATION Triumph Of Mercy". HM Magazine (72). ISSN 1066-6923. 
  11. ^ Van Pelt, Doug (July/August 1999). "Album Reviews: Mortification hammer of god". HM Magazine (78). ISSN 1066-6923. 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Mortification
Steve Rowe  · Damien Percy  · Mick Jelinic
Jayson Sherlock  · Phil Gibson  · Keith Bannister  · Bill Rice  · Adam Zaffarese  · Mike Forsberg  · Cameron Hall  · Michael Carlisle  · Lincoln Bowen  · Jeff Lewis
Studio albums
Other releases
DVDs