REVIEW: MDXX (SELF TITLED)

An upstart Swedish project is taking you on a familiar, compact, and fun trek through the darkness in their self-titled debut.

This is an interesting release that might be what some traditional metalheads have been looking for if they prefer a ride on the evil side. To get a taste of what MDXX is all about, let’s learn a little more about who they are before we get to the review:

MDXX is a band drawing heavily from the epic heavy metal and doom tradition, telling stories of evil, darkness and destruction, focusing on creating a world full of tales in need of being told. The band is inspired by the metal of the ’80s, giving it a unique sound in today’s scene.

MDXX, born in 2020, from the ridden mind of V in the cold, dark north known as Sweden. From necessity after a year filled with death and loss a world came to form and from that world came music and stories now recorded. The “Decimation” digital single is a first look in the debut album that will be released by No Remorse Records on March 24th, 2023. An introduction to MDXX and a story waiting to be told…
-No Remorse Records

REVIEW:

The name “MDXX” may be a drug reference but you can leave your stoner metal/desert rock preconceptions at the door because this album is a pleasant, traditional metal surprise. It gets straight to the point with fun tracks that give you just enough time to play in the dark side of your mind while you absorb their sinister undertones. This is old-school metal with a foreboding and malevolent edge. If you want the metal album version of a solid ‘80s supernatural horror film like John Carpenter’s “Prince of Darkness” or Lucio Fulci’s “City of the Living Dead”, you’re in the right place. Let’s break it down track by track:

1. Gasbreather starts off with a synthesizer intro that takes you into the right mental space for this album. A galloping riff soon kicks in and we are taken to the primary sonic landscape that this album wants you to inhabit. Some of these riffs wouldn’t be out of place on a power metal album but the lyrics and foreboding atmosphere keep us firmly rooted in a world of darkness. This is a great opening salvo to set expectations for the listener.

2. Oblivion kicks off with another sinister keyboard intro followed by percussive galloping guitars that wouldn’t be out of place on an old-school US power metal album. This track is an interesting contrast of themes: heroic riffing underscored by lyrics about being absorbed into darkness, our narrator desperately wishing to be pulled into a great nothingness. If you’ve ever been fifteen years old, then you can probably relate to that feeling!

3. Enforcer is a fun mid-tempo stomper about the futility of religion that actually evokes the high-points Metallica did manage to reach on its self-titled “Black Album.” The layered vocals on the chorus also evoke fellow Swedes, Ghost. Ghost is one of the biggest metal acts in the world at the moment so it’s no surprise that they have become an influence on their countrymen. This will feel fun and familiar to many listeners. I can easily see this track having a wider appeal to more casual metal fans.

4. Decimation is the most straightforward metal track on this release and it’s easy to see why it was chosen to be the album’s big single. Solid riffs and a very melodic chorus with lyrics taking us on a meditation of ethereal darkness create a very good encapsulation of this album’s strengths. These elements mesh so well and make this release stand out in the modern traditional metal space.

5. Interlude is exactly what the title says it is, for better or worse. It’s an interlude taking us from one side of the album to the next. It starts out with a piano-based intro followed by a spoken word piece. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite hit the mark and seems a bit-self indulgent. I appreciate the confidence in the material but it goes on for a bit too long and almost brings the album to a grinding halt.

6. Submission gets things back on track with ruinous riffs that overwhelm the senses as a tribute to an eldritch overlord hinted at in the lyrics. The track takes a turn towards the end with a very melancholy, but somehow hopeful guitar lick that wraps things up on a somber note. You might just forget that your meek god has no power here.

7. Blåkulla takes us back to the sound first encountered on the opening tracks of the album: triumphant riffing and melodic vocals detailing a journey into literal and metaphorical evil. “Blåkulla” is a mythic island in Swedish folklore where the Devil held court for witches, characterized by a meadow that continued on endlessly into the horizon. This track certainly evokes all the feelings one could imagine if you were whisked away to a dark world beyond the veil.

8. Sanctum takes us to our dark and unfortunate end by finishing the album on a solid note. This is another atmospheric piece like the opening track utilizing fast riffs, haunting vocals, and a very Iron Maiden-like guitar lick dancing through the chorus. It’s a fitting end for an interesting album.

Wrapping Up:

MDXX’s self-titled debut release shows very strong promise and a winning formula that can satisfy listeners who are searching for a darker edge to their old-school metal. This album is very respectable and if they can build further off the strong foundation that is laid here, I can easily see a follow-up album blowing people away. The appetite for melodic and accessible metal with darker themes is very real and MDXX have all the tools needed to capitalize. If you like a bit of horror in your ear-holes as well as your eyeballs, then this is a release you want to check out.