Customer Reviews

Smell of Rain

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Whilst mindlessly surfing the net i stumbled across a goth metal site that looked interesting. There were some sample tracks to download and by sheer luck i chose a Mortiis track - Smell the witch (track 10 on this cd).
THAT WAS IT! I knew then i had to get my hands on more tracks to see if this song was a one off.. but to my delight all the songs on this album are amazing. It's very rare that i buy a cd to find that all the tracks are outstanding.
If the tracks are listened to in the order on the cd then you will be treated to a journey through goth, metal, and ambience which has a slight aroma of the 80's what with the cascade of synth sounds; the kind of industrial sounds present in the likes of Pet Shop Boys.
The dark sounds don't drown out the lyrics which in turn are audible unlike that of other dark bands such as napalm death and the like. A truly haunting yet comforting experience.
Be one of the first to discover this relatively unheard/ unknown musical gift. I predict that Mortiis will rise to meet the popularity of the equally magnificent Marilyn Manson.

Well, this album was quite unexpected. If you're familiar with Mortiis' previous works, you may be expecting this to be another album full of dark dungeon ambience. Oh how wrong you would be. Mortiis' last album, Stargate, hinted at his desire to bring in more synths and electronic music into his work, but nobody could have predicted this. He took a wild leap into new territory, a kind of electronic-industrial goth. It's difficult to classify, an album as unique as the man... err, troll, who made it.
And what a leap. His previous works were for a niche market at best, had to be taken with a pinch of salt, but this is the kind of music you can put on and get your friends dancing to. Just so long as you don't show them the guy who made it. A more traditional song structure, clear-cutting vocals, lyrics so angsty they put Linkin Park to shame. It's extremely reminiscent of early Nine Inch Nails (Reznor himself has proclaimed a great joy for Mortiis' recent works), though with a slight aura of innocence or naivety to it. The whole thing works extremely well, it appeals to a large cross-section of audiences, and has more than enough catchy tunes to bring in new listeners.
Content-wise, despite being only nine tracks, this album more than delivers. Out of the nine, I would only consider two of them as filler material, and even they are hardly tracks you're likely to skip past after the first listening. The opening track Scar Trek/Parasite God is a stunning opener, filled with more atmosphere than the planet Druidia. Spirit In A Vacuum is a track reminiscent of Sisters of Mercy in their hayday, which is one hell of a compliment, and it's almost criminal that this song never ended up being released as a single. Everyone Leaves is a song that will bring some people to tears with the stark truth layed out by Mortiis' unusually innocent voice. Marshland will have you humming that chorus for weeks to come. And Smell The Witch, well, what more needs to be said by a song with such a title? It's a great bit of fun and a fantastic finish to one of the best albums of the decade thus far.
If you buy the special edition, you'll get a DVD with the music video to Parasite God too, which is a neat bonus, though the video is sadly nothing to write home about. They could have at least thrown the Mental Maelstrom video on there as well. But still, it's a free bonus, so I won't dock marks for it.
Overall, if you have any interest in dance, industrial, electronic or goth music, seek this album out, and you'll love it a long time.

being a fan of the 80's pop and also of darkwave music (dargaard, the cure, depeche mode, sisters of mercy, skinny puppy, etc) i received a real kick in the jaw while listening to Mortiis' latest. not only he totally changes his musical direction but he does that with honors! if you're simply into meaningful music then you'll love this. i was so much (and still!) into Mortiis' earlier stuff but it's just not fair to say that "the smell of rain" is crap just because the artist has forsaken his black metal root in order to explore new musical horizons. everything on this album is perfect. i cant recommend just one song cos they all rock! you will however, die for 'spirit in a vacuum', 'you put a hex on me', and 'everyone leaves'. in short, buy this. you wont be sorry.

Okay, so maybe he looks like a clone of Blix from the movie "Legend." But so what? Mortiis is a truly talented (and truly interesting) fellow. And anyone who can go from playing in an extreme black metal band (Emperor), to playing "electronic folk music" that could have appeared on the "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack, to playing danceable gothic "darkwave" tunes has my respect.

"Scar Trek / Parasite God" is the standout track, in my opinion. It has a good beat, good lyrics, and a chorus that is darn near impossible to get out of your head. (I.e., "They love their Parasite God, yet they crucify me. Mmmhmm, mmhmm. Amen.")

"Everyone Leaves" and "Smell the Witch" are my two other favorites from this album. "Everyone Leaves" is a slower, less danceable, sad song. It's real pretty. "Smell the Witch" is an energetic, highly danceable song.

Keep it coming, Mortiis.

The Smell of Rain is the latest release by the enigmatic former bassist of the infamous black metal outfit, Emperor. Since exiting the afore mentioned band, Mortiis has not only embraced, but expounded uon the genre of dark ambient music. Each release (including his various side projects) has shown a steady
progression and redefining of his sound, refusing to yield to the
traditional boundries of the genre.
Following up the critically acclaimed "The Stargate", Mortiis has shown his unwillingness to simply recreate the release and instead has released a brilliant slab of dark wave, to the unsuspecting masses.
Instead of the booming kettle drums and slow eerie keyboards which were the focus of his previous release, he has surplanted them with a more electronic atmosphere, utilizing sequencers, drum machines, and the like. Yet there is an organic feel to
this disc as well; noted by the inclusion of a lush layering of stringed instruments, electric guitars, and goth-inspired vocal arrangements.
Once again, Sarah Jezebel Deva has lended her operatic vocal prowless to Mortiis' vision, yet it is Mortiis' own vocal delivery which will capture your attention.
Refering back to Mortiis' earlier releases (even Stargate), his vocals were offered up in very small doses, prefering to leave the bulk of the vocals to others, while he concentrated
on the music.
Yet, lo and behold, the Troll King has a great, dark vocal delivery, much akin to that of Rozz Williams (Christian Death), Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) with a little David Gahan (Depeche Mode)
thrown into the mix. Very haunting and melancholic.

The disc begins with "Parasite God", which is also the video track featured in the Special Edition of this release (a separate DVD contains the video of the same name, but
more on that later). The song is steeped in electronic rhythms, yet avoids techno/dance trappings. The lyrics are a definite departure from the subject matter of earlier releases, proving to be much more introspective.
Songs such as "Monolith", Everyone Leaves" and "Antimental" are definitive pieces of angst.
In fact, each track offers a deeper glimpse into the soul of this tormented troll, serving as a the perfect companion piece to his previously released book, "Secrets of My Kingdom".

The band is comprised by:
Mortiis: programming/synths/lead and backing vocals
Fredrik Bergstrom: timpani/percussion
Sarah Jezebel Deva: soprano/harmonies/alto female vocals
John Prozac: additional programming
Chris A: all guitars
Alzahr: bass guitar
Martina Bender: alto/lead female vocals
Suvi-Tuulia Virtanen: alto female vocals
Mika Lindberg: alto male vocals
Raptor: alto male vocals
Asa Anveden: cello
Staffan Wieslander: cello
Johanna Wetter: violin
Cecilia Lindgren: violin

The production is top notch, allowing for a multitude of layers without becoming too polished.
There is still a hint of raw aggressivness, on many of the tracks.
Following his musical lead, Mortiis has also progressed in reference to his trollish persona, no looking like a cross between a troll and the mummy in a scene straight out of Dune's wastelands.
The cd's cover is a bit more vibrant, color-wise, yet is still dark in tone.
The packaging is well conceived with a multi-foldout insert containing lyrics, band photos, and more.
The bonus DVD features Morttis in a ancient castle and desert setting, while singing "Parasite God".
The DVD seemed to be uncooperative in my regular DVD player, but had no problem playing on my computer's
DVD drive, leading me to think that this may be in PAL format (my computer plays both). The video is in wide screen format, which is cool. It also features a collection of promo
stills of Mortiis.

Once again, Mortiis has refused to follow musical conventions and be limited by genre restraints. He has unleashed a stunning opus of dark wave which will definitely surprise many
of his long time listeners who are familiar/used to his dark ambient output. Invariably he may even lose a few fans due to his
musical growth. Such is THEIR loss.

With the stores and airwaves being polluted with a cacophany of processed, prefabricated bands, Mortiis is a definite breath
of fresh air. This modern day Henry David Thoreau is not only welcome, he is needed.
"The Smell of Rain" is a must buy! ...

Well I notice people react to this album in extremes- love it or hate it. Danzig had Blackacidevil, Marilyn Manson had Mechanical Animals, Burzum had Daudi Baldrs, Mayhem had Grand Declaration of War. When an artist has matured, they will feel the need to try something different and experiment. Mortiis was probably sick of just this obscure project he had going for years and probably wanted to form a real band. Congrats to Sarah Jezebel Deva who finally got her pic in a booklet.

Basicly, this is epic Nordic darkwave. I say epic because he uses majestic synth hear and there a la The Stargate era, a great opera backup singer, and reallly good lyrics. This is a complete departure from the Mortiis of old- his limited edition book is no longer relevant. He should keep the more intellectual fans of his older stuff and also gain a few ones. Who's to say fans of Nine Inch Nails and Ministry won't like The Smell of Rain. Vocally, it's kinda monotone is my only criticism. Mortiis has one of the best looks in music history- easily passing KISS and Marilyn Manson for disgust and shock factor. His image is what drew me to him in the first place- it just looks so cool. If you're a fan of Mortiis already, listen to it with an open mind.

Amittedly originally Mortiis caught my attention with his troll image. I have an unavoidable interest in the bizarre and novel and Mortiis certainly fit that description. I rather assumed that his interesting qualities would be strickly confined to his image though, after all, good musicians don't need gimmicks right?

The thing is while good musicians don't need gimmicks neither do gimmicks make a musuician bad. This cd is a wonderful listen in industrial/electronic music. It's one of those albums that can be listened to straight through, not because every song is perfect but because they fit together so naturally. Their contuinity makes them sound like a sonic story. As for the most interesting songs I would suggest listening to Parasite God, Antimental, Marshland and the softer song Everyone Leaves.

I enjoyed this cd so much I recently purchased the Grudge hopefully it will be as pleasing.

Yes, I just called a Mortiis album delightful. it sounds like something I would have listened to back whe I was first discovering Skinny Puppy, KMFDM, Ministry, Depeche Mode and all that goes with listening to those artists. Mortiis did an excellent job capturing not only a "sound", but an "era". It works, maybe not for his "death metal" fans, but definatly for fans of goth.

I had heared about mortiis for a while but never bothered to check him out (his music!) Then i saw his cd in a shop and it made me wonder so i came here and listened to a bit, the old ones were not very good in my opinion, too much like the sound track to a cheesy horror movie, then i went on the official website (www.mortiis.com) and dounloaded some clips from smells like rain and i was very impressed, i went and got it straight a way! The best cd i have bought for ages!

My tip to you is go on the official website and lisen to the clips there, they are free, they all last about a minuite and there is a clip for each song.
Yes it might be a bit obvious but you would be surprised how many people don't do it.

I've read rave review of Mortiis, and after seeing him compared to The Sisters of Mercy and Rosetta Stone, I thought that I might like it. It sounds nothing like the above bands, but is still pretty cool. The music is very dance oriented with the exception of Everyone Leaves. The CD really only has 2 stand out tracks, Parasite God and Everyone Leaves. Both are great songs that all fans of darker rock will probably love. The rest of the songs suffer from sounding the same and just kind of droning on. Also the lyrics can be embarrassing at times. Smell the Witch and You Put a Hex On Me sound like they were written immediately after Mortiis listened to Blue Monday.
In my opinion this is the best CD to buy from Mortiis, as all of the other work is pretty much sound-track music (although it is good).