Morlocks – Praise the Iconoclast

Releasedate:  06-10-2023
Label: Metropolis Records

Industrial formation Morlocks returns to the scene after years of less active presence. The band released their album “Praise the Iconoclast” recently.

Now this an album we have been waiting for. For twelve years at least. For the previous one came out in 2011 and after we reviewed this, the album kept spinning regularly at the Tempelores office. A rare thing, considering the amount of albums we get in for reviewing. You don’t have too much time to return to releases that are out there. But the chaos that “The Outlaw of Fives” had kept entertaining. Now when you have been waiting for something this long, the chances on disappointment are higher and you simply need to take a bit more time to listen to it for it to even out what you have been listening to for over a decade.

Songs

And there we are, with “Praise the Iconoclast”. The album is as cinematic as the previous one and has a similar dose of chaos. It has a lot of sounds, effects and a lot of words to be heard. It follows in line of what we have known, but captures the current era quite well. Some remarkable moments can be found in “The Golden Goddess” where the vocals are making you think of a Myrkur collab and how that would sound, an unlikely thought but the band has found some other great names for a collaboration. KMFDM’s Sascha, Karin My, and Heljarmadr of Grá/Dark Funeral are giving acte de présence.

Finding some catchiness is not hard in the album either, “I’m The Payload” brings it to you in plenty. “Instigation” has some subtle outbreak of the guitars, sneaking up to your attention and making you realize that the band is putting this heaviness in with skill and does not hide in their chaos of sounds and effects.

Morlocks released “Dicks In Tanks” earlier as a single and finding it towards the end of the album tells you this band has much to say and won’t let this album fade out on you.

Conclusion

Altogether, Morlocks released a lengthy album, with songs that have once again a lot to them that makes you listen with care. There could be so much more to say, but it is best to experience it yourself. It took a while, but the wait was well worth it. Throw out that fear of disappointment. If you liked “The Outlaw of Fives”, this one will exceed your listening experience and gives you many hours of rotations.

Line up:

• J.Strauss — Vocals, keyboards, trumpet
• Innocentius Rabiatus — Lead guitar, vocals, keyboards
• Lamashtu — Bass guitar, vocals

Links:

Bandcamp