There is no stopping the magnificent Norwegian black metal outfit known as Tulus, and these past few years have seen the trio reach new musical heights in every conceivable way. The band has always been a cut above the rest and a perversely entertaining thing to immerse oneself in, mind you, but with Fandens Kall (2023) and this upcoming 9-track offering of theirs titled Morbid Desires, things are sounding more confident, exhilarating, and focused than ever before.
Dynamics and groove are keywords when it comes to Tulus‘ uniquely shaped sound and musical identity, and Morbid Desires is the perfect display of what it means to weave different trademarks, quirks, influences, and ideas together to stunning effect and in a seamless manner. A perfect example of that would be the album opener ‘Salme II‘, which heads in so many different directions yet remains cohesive all the way through. Incidentally, that one might well be the finest Tulus composition to date.
There is an abundance of filth, swagger, and attitude present on the disc, yet there is also an understated sense of beauty and brooding to be found and enjoyed. From sweeping acoustic passages to epic parts featuring chanted vocals that ooze heathenism and further on to bone-rattling breaks, thunderous chords, and unfiltered anger, it leaves very little else to be desired. Fucking hell, even what sounds like a mouth harmonica makes an appearance on the album, more specifically in ‘Sabbat‘, which obviously makes this record a must-have. What an untraditional element such as that does is illustrate just how varied and colourful the group’s brand of catchy black metal truly is and that there is nothing pedestrian about them or what they do. There is also more than a passing reference to Black Sabbath simmering underneath the unholy tunes, which is strongly hinted at in the title and execution of the closing track, the aforementioned ‘Sabbat‘.
If you want grit, grime, and superb songwriting with hidden depths to it, you need not look any further than Morbid Desires, which is a nasty and unsettling little triumph that slays in so many ways. Menacing and captivating black metal with a heart of darkness.
Morbid Desires will be out on 27 March via Darkness Shall Rise Productions.
