Mortiis
Mortiis [ mɔʁ'ti ː s], whose real name is Håvard Ellefsen ( born July 25, 1975 in Notodden ) is a Norwegian musician who is best known for his eponymous music project. This was first established in 1993 as a solo project in which biographical elements were in the foreground. Over time, Mortiis developed into a band with several members, including Sarah Jezebel Deva.
- 3.1 with Emperor
- 3.2 with Mortiis 3.2.1 albums
- 3.2.2 Singles
Biography
Håvard " Mortiis " Ellefsen was born in Notodden in the Norwegian county of Telemark and began his musical career as a founding member and bass player of the influential black metal band Emperor. This was founded in 1991, Mortiis remained until 1992 when the band and then turned solo activities. As a bassist, he can be heard on the demo Wrath of the Tyrant of 1992, the EP Emperor from 1993 (recorded in December 1992) and on the EP As the Shadows Rise by 1994. Also on the album In the Nightside Eclipse (1994 ), there are songs that the band had written with Mortiis, but the shots he was no longer with. Besides his own musical activities Mortiis brought the early 1990s a fanzine called ZAST out.
After the separation of Emperor he turned his solo project Mortiis the Ambient to and founded his own label Dark Dungeon Music. In June 1993, published Mortiis about Dark Dungeon Music demo cassette The Song of a Long Forgotten Ghost. The cartridge contains - as the titling suggests - only a title with almost sixty minutes in length. In Poland, the demo album on the label Pagan Moon was released. He also released the single Harvard Vond his side project Vond with a focus on dark ambient music.
The debut album født Til å Herske of Mortiis project followed in 1994, it appeared on the German label Malicious Records, which was known for publications Norwegian black metal albums in the 1990s.; published here as well as works of the bands Gorgoroth and Dodheimsgard.
The following album som Andes Gjorde Opprør was released in 1994 on Cold Meat Industry, one of the most important labels in the post-industrial area. Also on Cold Meat Industry Mortiis published a year later the album Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent. He also experimented with other musical styles and published a mirage 1995 self-titled album in 1996 under the project name Cintecele Diavolui The Devil's songs.
In 1996 the album Crypt of the Wizard about Dark Dungeon Music. This album is a compilation of the titles of five EPs released individually, making it the first album with more than two titles.
There was a change to the British label Earache Records, on which the album The Stargate was released in 1998. This album is the last of the band's history, which still has ambient influence. In retrospect, the creative phase was up to the album The Stargate of Ellefsen titled as "Era I" to exercise towards them greatly differing follow-up album to delineate which were, ushered in a new creative phase. All albums of the Era I contained music that was composed entirely on synthesizers. In The Stargate already announced a change by here in addition acoustic guitars and flutes were used, among other things.
With the release of the album The Smell of Rain on 22 October 2001 So began the "Era II" of musical history Mortiis ', which drew a stark change with it. Mortiis attacks here on electronics items and programmed pieces, which can be assigned to the electropop. First real lead vocals and more traditional song structures. Ellefsen started for live performances Session members to search, whereby the subsequent change was favored to a band.
The album The Grudge, which was released on 13 September 2004, drew an even stronger musical implies. This album draws heavily on industrial rock. 2005 album by the Norwegian government has been declared a cultural artifact, so it ever since in libraries in the country is available for free listening.
On 16 April 2007, the band released a remix album titled Some Kind of Heroin, which contained remixes of various pieces of the Grudge album. Here worked with, among others, artists like Gothminister, Implant, The Kovenant, Velvet Acid Christ, Girls Under Glass, David Wallace, Kubrick and Dope Stars Inc..
Style
Image / appearance
From the band's inception to Håvard " Mortiis " Ellefsen has his appearance, especially the mask of his face, changed frequently until he used a prosthetic mask and ears. The original mask is based on the goblin Blix from the fantasy film Legend. After the release of the remix album, Some Kind of Heroin Mortiis claimed to have taken the mask. The Masquerade over the years managed a special image for Ellefsen, was asked about which in almost every interview. On the question of what the mask represents, he replied "I do not see myself as a goblin or troll or elf or even medieval. I'm just Mortiis. "
Concept and texts
While the albums first almost exclusively contained title with Norwegian lyrics, the lyrics are written primarily in English since the release of the album The Stargate in 1998. Topics that are addressed in the texts are mainly the imagination and emotions like depression and anger.
Music
The ambient pieces have no classical song structure ( verse, chorus, etc.), why Mortiis ' pieces this time also have most wavelengths above a quarter of an hour.
With the album The Smell of Rain Mortiis returned the ambient music back and produced titles that are based more on the classic song scheme and gravitate toward electropop and industrial rock.
Discography
With Emperor
- Wrath of the Tyrant (Demo, 1992)
- Emperor ( EP, 1993)
- As the Shadows Rise (EP, 1994)
- In the Nightside Eclipse (1994; texts to Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times and I Am the Black Wizards )
With Mortiis
Albums
- The Song of a Long Forgotten Ghost (Demo, 1993)
- Født Til å Herske (1994 )
- Andes som Gjorde Opprør (1994 )
- Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent (1995 )
- Blood and Thunder ( 1995)
- The Crypt of the Wizard (1996 )
- The Stargate (1998)
- The Smell of Rain ( 2001)
- The Grudge (2005)
- Some Kind of Heroin (2007, Remix-Album/Compilation )
- Perfectly Defect (2010)
Singles
- The Grudge (2004)
- Decadent & Desperate (2005)
With Vond
- Harvard Vond (1993, Single)
- Selvmord (1994 )
- The Dark River ( 1996)
- Green Eyed Demon ( 1998)
With mirage
- Fata Morgana (1995 )
- Space Race ( EP) ( 1996)
With Cintecele Diavolui
- The Devil's Songs ( 1996)