For those who abhor the second-wave of black metal and its worship,1 Mork’s Monolitt may not be your cup of iced tea. Frosty tremolos, glacial chugs, and biting rasps lurk within, offering a welcome blast of northern darkness as I stare down the barrel of another sweltering Atlanta summer. Established in 2004, Thomas Eriksen’s Mork has been dispensing rime and punishment since debut Isebakke dropped in 2013. Now thirteen years on, Mork unveils eighth slab Monolitt, which radiates icy, blackened ire. As is customary, Eriksen supplies the lion’s share of sounds, though Asgeir Mickelson (ex-Borknagar, ex-Ihsahn) plies the drums while Øyvind Kaslegard (Svart Lotus) contributes additional vocals. Monolitt translates to ‘Monolith’ in English, and though it provides wonderful imagery and is immediately evocative, the name also sells a promise. Can Mork’s Monolitt deliver by embodying a towering manifestation of second-wave mayhem, or will it get buried beneath the permafrost?
Mork’s discography evolves with each release while maintaining a consistency of high-caliber craftsmanship that listeners can rely upon. Early Mork material embraced rawer production featuring buzz-sawing guitars and lo-fi fuzz, and though it blankets those albums in textureless uniformity, interesting ideas and riffs gleam through the static. Over time, Eriksen has refined his approach, finding ways to subtly experiment within the confines of second-wave black metal. In this way, Mork reminds me of Mayhem and Thron, continuously pushing the boundaries of their soundscape to expand their grasp of the genre. To me, 2024’s Syv acts as Mork’s most exploratory album to date, demonstrated by their foray into broader instrumentation as well as the beautiful acoustic and clean-sung finale, “Omme.” Monolitt, on the other hand, recenters the band squarely in second-wave territory, albeit with a smattering of Syv’s less conventional elements.
Given the solid foundation Mork establishes within black metal’s most identifiable form, Monolitt proves to be a bit of a misnomer considering the wealth of diverse ideas within it. Leadoff track “Under Vekten av Verden” kicks off festivities in ferocious fashion, where Mickelson hammers the kit with clockwork rigidity, and Eriksen dispatches wicked licks and riffs that sound like they were pulled from the heart of winter itself. “Ødelagt” begins with the same fury, but by its end decelerates to a funereal crawl. Follow-up “Torden” rejuvenates the pacing with a simple yet exhilarating guitar lead and gusts of peppy drum patterns that never fail to get my head bobbing. Monolitt doesn’t hoard the goodies on the front end, though, as “Inn i en Annen Sfære” and “Jutul” overflow with well-crafted moments applied using a delicate touch, underpinning Mork’s growth as astute songwriters. “Inn i en Annen Sfære” sparkles like ice-capped snow, where crystalline guitars glide through bright, sustained synths as the pacing inevitably propels the song into proper blackened tremolos and Eriksen’s gruff rasp. Similarly, “Utryddelse” employs tempo and mood shifts throughout its runtime that develop riveting dynamics and remind me of Kampfar and newer Mayhem, while “Jutul” uses a dash of clean singing in addition to recalling early Gorgorth’s implementation of faint, understated melody.
The whole of Monolitt is as impressive as the sum of its parts, and on it Mork endeavors to distill their essence even further. The mixing (Børge Finstad) and mastering (Jack Control and Maor Appelbaum) highlight the music wonderfully, giving each instrument ample space and retaining an edge to the tones such that Monolitt never sounds polished or slick. I only wish that the album’s middle was as consistent as its bookends. The tracks I’ve mentioned stand out as grade-A black metal, and though the other songs are good to very good, they don’t quite live up to the heights established at the pinnacle of Monolitt.
Through eight albums, Mork utterly convinces that their creative well runs deep. Monolitt stands tall, a monument to second-wave songwriting that demonstrates further exploration of the style doesn’t have to be stale. While Syv edges Monolitt out as my favorite Mork release, it’s damn close, and more than anything else, I’m left incredibly impressed with the band’s maturation and steadfast output. It’s rare for a band putting out so much material in so short a time to maintain this level of quality, but you better believe this one’s a genuine, bona fide, electrified, nine-track Monolitt. Now say it again, and hop on board!
Rating: Very Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Peaceville Records
Websites: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026
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