Mortgrim is a black metal solo project from Budapest, Hungary, formed in 2025. This one-man band is releasing its second album, entitled Evangelium Luciferianum, via the German label Fetzner Death Records. Through this album, Mortgrim showcases his ambitious project exploring spirituality and philosophy. This new release is available in digital format, on CD digipak and as a limited-edition cassette.
Evangelium Luciferianum is an album that establishes an occult atmosphere right from the very opening track Majesty of the Morning Star. The rhythm is heavy, evoking certain doom metal influences. A hypnotic composition and deliberate accelerations add nuance to the structure of the tracks. Multi-instrumentalist Máté Nagy prioritises atmosphere over technical prowess, delivering atmospheric black metal rooted in the second wave of Norwegian black metal, which reminds me of the atmospheres created by Burzum and the early Dimmu Borgir. This is also evident in the mix and production.
The guitars alternate between mid-tempo passages and heavier moments. A few subtle melodies are added in several sections that structure the tracks. The bass is quite prominent and contributes to this heavy, deep sound, which is most audible on tracks such as Inverted Cross. The drums create a hypnotic atmosphere with loud, distinct beats that are particularly imposing during the faster passages. They drive the rhythm, as on Fornir Andar (on this track, it feels almost mechanical, with beats at regular intervals that never slow down).
The vocals are harsh and organic, exuding an ominous aura throughout the album. In several passages, the vocals take on a tormented edge, as on Majesty of the Morning Star from 2:16 onwards. The best vocal performances are on Fornir Andar and Corpus et Chaos. On this last track, from 2:17 onwards, the vocals deliver one of the most intense screams on the album.
The moments and tracks I enjoyed: I loved the hypnotic atmosphere of the track Hele. The track Eternal Rite is a true ceremonial offering, I really liked its dark and evolving nature (on this track, you can feel some influences from Burzum). I really enjoyed the drumming on Inverted Cross. My favourite track is Rotting Souls, with its sonic aggression, relentless rhythm and energy, making it the most intense track on the album.
With their second album, Evangelium Luciferianum, Mortgrim present an occult ritual blending aggressive energy with atmospheric elements. Let’s forget about technical and demonstrative performance, here we have a black metal album in the old-school meaning of the term. It’s not meant to please, but to showcase an approach and a vision of the genre. An album I really enjoyed exploring, and I think many of my readers will appreciate this release.
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Check out the album in Fetzner Death Records - Website or on the Bandcamp below