An interim release from a project which wears its major points of inspiration on its sleeve, this fairly substantial mLP from Lombardy, Italy-based melodic/symphonic black metal trio Morcolac might initially appear as a passing nod from yet another over-active post pandemic crew churning away yet it presents some reasonable value as an introduction to their wares. Intending their own nod to the havoc of late 90’s symphonia in extremis while cribbing heavy notes from artists who’ve held fast to this style since then, this release indulges to the point of near facsimilia while sporting new personal standard via freshened production values and a focus on high impact, unabashed melodicism, making the argument that when their inevitable third LP surfaces it may not be original outright but it will be an energetic, tuneful event.

Morcolac formed circa 2021 by way of vocalist, guitarist and bassist SadoMaster who is best known for more recent projects of his own (Griverion, Ghostly Aerie Coven) as well as providing guitars for death metal bands Fornace and Eroded. He’d been joined by drummer/keyboardist A.B. for a decent enough debut LP (‘A Vampiir is Born‘, 2021) which’d drawn the ears of folks looking for late 90’s keyboard driven black metal of the non-vikingr variety a la bands today like Warmoon Lord and Evilfeast where the sentimental and chivalric edge of nowadays Finnish black metal had clearly inspired their campy-yet-raw treatment of melody to start. By 2022 A.B. had left and was replaced with keyboardist Azghâl (Amalekim) and drummer Bestia (Defacement, Continuum of Xul) as they’d gotten to work on a second album (‘Vrykolakas‘, 2022), an iterative result delivered in less than seven months time. In fact I’d suggest that second album was rushed out, a satisfyingly devil-may-care result in some respects but fodder in others wherein stifled guitar performances and unfocused keyboard work tainted the tonal reach of the album toward the trite and cheerful. More important than my assessment of the past is this notion that Finnish black metal was the driving force and/or dominant inspiration behind those first two records.

‘Drawbridge to Citadel of No More Dawn‘ is suggested as the praeludium before Morcolac‘s third full-length album is readied, implying that there is a much bigger record on the way in the near future. To be frank by today’s hand-to-mouth standards for LP releases it might as well’ve been presented as a full-length even when barely breaching the half-hour mark and despite the sizable cover song in its midst. Up front the wolf in the room must be addressed as the almost too plain cover of Satanic Warmaster‘s “The Chant of Barbarian Wolves” complicates the first impression of this release. Not so much in terms of the mLP’s length or running order but that it presents a very obvious inspiration for the band set next to new material that could be considered as worship of the current standouts in the Finnish scenery today, not only taking quite a lot of direction from Werewolf‘s stable of signature movements for “Memorialmoon Narrates the Morbose” but taking a very Sielunvihollinen-esque trample through “Wormchalice of the Dirtiest Church” takes us there too. The literature provided on the band suggests they live for that kind of stuff and I suppose I’d found it refreshing enough that they were up front about that intent. Of course it helps that they’ve written catchy enough pieces in the interim.

In fact I’d go as far as to suggest Morcolac have never sounded so driven by guitar hooks and keyboard tapping bombast beyond the usual 90’s “symphonic atmospherics” as they present a set of overt and far too familiar melodic pieces which carry through with a simple effect per originals and related intro/outro parts otherwise. “Dungeon Dustears” is arguably the most cloying and unbearable of those three suggested main pieces, featuring a (likely) simulated cello to present its simple motif which bears unfortunate semblance of a popular bygone rock song. The piece fits the mood and motion of the record but ends up a step beyond the pale for my own taste. Otherwise I’d taken in the charm of this record much like the most recent Moonlight Sorcery release, a very different style but an effective set of simple melodic pieces which make for a transfixing listen while it lasts. As a primer and preamble for the inevitable third LP ‘Drawbridge to Citadel of No More Dawn‘ does a fine job of generating interest for where they’re headed next. A moderately high recommendation.

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