Aberrations of the Mind

Morgana Lefay were one of the best bands of their kind back in the late 90s and early 2000s – peaking with their 2005 comeback album Grand Materia. This one is the only follow-up they’ve done so far, and while I enjoy it, it isn’t one of their best ever.

The thing with Morgana Lefay is that they’re basically the heaviest power metal band out there, and Aberrations of the Mind amplifies that by tenfold – with the heaviest production job they ever got and some of their most direct, brutal songs. Similar to the last Angel Dust album, this was a more direct recitation of the band’s sound – containing the groovy riffs and harsh vocal attacks these guys were known for, but stripped down to a more concise form. These songs are the simplest and most direct the band has penned up to this point. Frankly, while the songs are all very aggressive and enjoyable, not a lot of them have real identities – they all kinda blend together.

There are some exceptions, like the hooky opener “Delusions,” the teeth-gnashing madness of “Make a Wish” and the darker “Depression.” The title track is an unhinged song, with vocalist Chris Rytkonen digging deep into his repertoire of depraved-sounding noises and pulling out a performance something akin to Jon Oliva on coke if he was really pissed off. The riffs are savage and the rhythms are brutal in their unrelenting attack – but Rytkonen’s vocals are absolutely insane, creating the most atmospheric moment on the disc. Don’t listen to this one in the dark – you may not be able to sleep at night!

Other songs are good, like “The Rush of Possession” and the hammering riffs of “Vultures Devouring,” but they all sound a bit too much alike. On tracks like “Face of Fear” the choruses are actually a tad irritating – it’s not the band’s best work. But even on the weaker tracks, there are plenty of entertainingly vicious moments and you won’t be bored. This is an agreeable album even at its worst. While I wish there were more tracks like the title track or “Depression” on display, the album is still pretty entertaining anyway. If you want a headbanging, hyper-aggressive good time from one of power metal’s black sheep, Aberrations of the Mind will do the trick.

Plus, the lyrics are … well, let’s say I wouldn’t want to be caught on the receiving end of whoever incurred the band’s collective wrath here.

From “Delusions”:

You pompous ass
Your eyes are shut
You think you're the center of earth
Just give it up
Your train of thought – absurd

Ouch! Whoever the subject of this song is – sleep with one eye wide fuckin’ open!

It's pretty darn close, though, especially coming off of an album as good as "Grand Materia." This is somewhat surprising since, on the surface at least, "Aberrations of the Mind" isn't much different from its predecessor. It certainly continues the trend towards a greater emphasis on heaviness. Aside from a new drummer, the band is basically the same; so what caused this to be such a disappointment?

One major mistake was the decision to give other band members prominent backing vocals on several of the songs. Take "Delusions" for example, this would be a great, intense song if it wasn't from those awful backing vocals (I believe they're from the bassist). Charles Rytkonen is a fine vocalist whose voice is probably the biggest trademark of Morgana Lefay's sound, why take away the opportunity for him to sing?

However, this would only be a nuisance had the songs themselves been better. Usually I applaud bands utilizing heaviness to add another dimension to their sound. In fact, this worked admirably on "Grand Materia." On "Aberrations of the Mind," however, Morgana Lefay often does not add a sense of melody to balance out the heaviness. Even so, this is perhaps only a symptom of the real problem: poor songwriting. There's no other way around it. Even the songs that are the most reminiscent of their previous works, like "Depression" and the title track, are forgettable at best.

The guitars, while possibly even heavier, are also simpler. Gone are the intricacies and alternations between clean, acoustic and heavy parts (at least any sort of effective use of the alternations). Instead we have ham-fisted riffs that, while still more complicated than nu-metal, add very little to the song aside from obligatory heaviness. In fact, sometimes the riffs sound like down-tuned flower metal riffs with occasional squeals added for effect.

Even though this isn't Morgana Lefay's "St. Anger," it's far from excellent and has very few positive aspects. The best songs are probably the title track and the aforementioned "Delusions" and they're both rather mediocre. I'm hoping for another comeback, because I know they have it in them, but I haven't heard anything from the band for a while now, so who knows how long a follow-up will be or if it will even happen. I found this in a bargain bin and it wasn't even worth it. I would advise giving "Symphony of the Damned" and "Maleficium" another listen instead.

'Grand materia', Morgana Lefay's return to activity in 2005 after several years' absence, was an astounding CD. The band came roaring back with their brand of thrashy power metal that combines modern groove with a strong sense of melody and moody darkness to deliver a superb selection of songs built around a strong concept.

Things have been done slightly differently this time around – the songs are all stand-alone, and, free of writing to suit an already-in-place storyline, the band have really gone for the jugular with a CD that is massively aggressive from the get-go, almost never letting up throughout.

With their trademark style of hard-as-nails riffs, littered with technical kinks, and prominent, aggressive and precise drumming, the term 'power metal' needs to be applied loosely to Morgana Lefay, but they never allow their unashamedly modern influences to compromise their strong sense of melody or theatrical edge.

This last aspect is, as has always been the case, mostly down to the vocals of Charles Rytkönen, and while maintaining his recognised approach, he has never sounded more intense than he does on this CD; he still spits every word like the most vitriolic version of Jon Oliva imaginable, and includes many passages delivered in a guttural roar that borders on true harsh vocals from time to time. His totally off-the-wall performance on the song "Aberration of mind", culminating in a genuinely anguished-sounding scream is simply incredible.

This song also exemplifies how Morgana Lefay take distinctly modern and un-power metal influences and incorporate them seamlessly into their style – the verses are backed by that usually-horrendous nu-metal guitar buzz that somehow just fits the song perfectly, showing that virtually anything can be done well if executed tastefully and with the requisite expertise.

They also seem to have taken a few cues from Nevermore throughout - a band they have always shared the same power/groove metal sphere without ever actually sounding too similar - with more emphasis on mechanical intricacy than before. In fact, one of only 2 slower songs on the CD, "Depression", sounds in places just a little like a more uptempo version of the Seattle band's "The heart collector".

Guitarists Tony Eriksson and Peter Grehn are on top form throughout, combining their hard-hitting and groove-laden riffs with exquisite solos, both chaotic and melodic. The old Pantera trick of playing a solo section backed only by bass rather than rhythm guitar is used a couple of times, and combination of melodic notes pirouetting over the monstrous growl of Fredrik Lundberg's low frequencies is executed masterfully.

'Aberrations of the mind' is a very different animal than 'Grand materia', with both succeeding incredibly for different reasons. In the end, it will come down to the taste, or even simply the mood, of the individual listener. On a personal level, I preferred the gloomy melancholy and creeping menace of the predecessor, but as a non-stop flurry of aggression, 'Aberrations of the mind' will push all the right buttons for power metal fans happy with a bit of guts in their music. As a tonic to the overly sugary bands in the genre, Morgana Lefay are faultless, and their latest CD comes pretty close to that tag too.

(Originally written for http://www.metalcdratings.com/)

Two years have gone by, it’s time for another face ripping lesson in thrashy power metal from Morgana Lefay! Picking up where they left off with their impressive comeback Grand Materia, Aberrations of the Mind is modernized heavy power metal designed to pound your skull and implant its hooks into your brain. Taken by force!

Where this album differs from its predesessor is that this is no concept album. Instead the guys go for the throat with short aggressive songs (3-4 min) that focus on massively heavy riffs, searing guitar leads and extremely catchy choruses. Clearly there was no holding back. With a ripping guitar sound, thick, raw production and one of the most enduring, caustic vocal performances around courtesy of Mr. Charles Rytkonen (think a possessed Jon Oliva) Morgana Lefay unleashes another beast.

The songs themselves hold up very well in this format and the album, in its shorter form, hearkens back to their mighty Sanctified (95’) release. In fact, this album rivals that in quality and lands as another jewel in an already excellent catalog. The weakest song on the album, the title track retains an infectious chorus and feels only like a misstep in its modern nu-metalish verse. Being completely honest, their brand of abrasive power metal has always had a taste of the massive groove so loved by craptacular members of that genre. Its never been out of place in their sound. However, this time it sounds a bit too close to an influence rather than a natural element of their sound. Fortunately the rest of the album is highlighted by thrashy tracks like Make a Wish, Reflections of War, The Rush of Possession and Delusions, pounding mid-paced tracks like Face of Fear and In Shadows I Reign, and two awesome powerhouse builders Depression and the first single Over and Over Again, all of which are classic Lefay. Some of the guitar solos on this album are the best they’ve had in years. The choruses are almost all instantly catchy. Most importantly nearly every song is filled to the brim with solid, crushing riffwork.

What we have in the end is another solid release from these veterans. Modern, metal to its very core Aberrations of the Mind is an exercise in dark thrashy power metal that sets the standard once again. This is how it’s done!

Sometimes I silently wonder why the first word in the term “Power Metal” is even there. There’s just too many releases that completely lack any balls nowadays. However, there is a trio of Swedish bands that understands that power is supposed to be in their Metal. I’m talking about Nocturnal Rites, Tad Morose and Morgana Lefay here. The latter two are both from a town called Bollnäs, so that may be a part of it, and Morgana Lefay is undeniably the heaviest of the three. And now, there is ‘Aberrations Of The Mind’, their most thrasy album to date.

As always, this album takes some time to get into and as always, it’s amazing once you do. All the familiar elements are still there. The riffs are (very) heavy, the hits pound through your ear drums, the melodies are haunting and Charles Rytkönen’s voice is raspy, raw and powerful. But due to the slightly more modern approach the band picked this time, the songs have a little more of a bite. And where ‘Grand Materia’ was mainly midtempo, the tempo on ‘Aberrations Of The Mind’ is notably higher. Both albums are great anyway.

The first notes of opening track ‘Delusions’ alreeds show a fully recharged Morgana Lefay. The riffs wouldn’t have sounded out of place on one of the better in Flames-albums and the chorus is irresistable. Charles’ voice is very versatile and so is the structure of the song, really. The track is also a great introduction to what is to come, because it houses all the extremes present on the album: modern and traditional and heavy and melodic.

What follows is just very good! Morgana Lefay is really on a roll with this album. If I’m really trying to be critical, I might mention that the production is a bit old-fashioned, but that actually adds a certain charm to the whole thing. Especially the drums of “newbie” Pelle Åkelind have a nice old school touch because of that. The production as a whole adds a live-feel to the album.

Picking highlights from the album isn’t easy, but if my words haven’t convinced you yet, here’s a few tracks that are definitely worth checking out. ‘Caught In The Tread Wheel’ is a kickass headbanger on which Charles shares the lead vocals with bassist Fredrik Lundberg. Great soloing as well, by the way. ‘Vultures Devouring’ is a stand out Power Metal track with a killer chorus and another great chorus is the one to ‘Face Of Fear’, which contains some beautifully worked out multivocal parts. Closing off the album in near perfect fashion is the absolutely stunning semi-ballad ‘Over And Over Again’. Charles’ breathtaking vocals fit the beautiful lyrics about the hard life on the road very well. A very nice finale!

Any fan of high quality Metal should at least give this album a few spins. I did and I didn’t regret that for one single second. ‘Aberrations Of The Mind’ is a great album which fits in multiple subgenres of Metal and Morgana Lefay actually deserves a lot more respect than they have gotten for it. Let’s just hope that this album will change that.