Mortal Sin - An Absenceof Faith (Riot)

Fri 12th Oct, 2007 in Music Reviews

Mortal Sin are a hallmark metal band in Australia. They have been around for so goddamn long, and have done great things. And even though Mayhemic Destruction is now so old, and even though it was the band’s first full-length album (released in 1987), many people have trouble getting past it. I know that one of my personal favourite tracks of all time is Lebanon. And then, when I finally got to see Mortal Sin play, they were supporting Anthrax on their Aussie tour a few years ago. I was disappointed in them because their new stuff at the time was that poppy nu-metal core shite, full of breaks.

So, when I received this album, I was full of trepidation. But I needn’t have been, because with An Absence of Faith Mortal Sin appear to have gone back to their roots. The first track Out of the Darkness has many elements that made Mahemic Destruction so f-cking good, and it has very quickly made its place among my favourite and most-listened-to tracks of late. Tears of Redemption starts with that big, almost Arabic sound, similar to what people will remember being the trademark of Lebanon, and similarly political.

Some people have remarked, – œwow, this is really Mortal Sin!’. Yes indeed, it is—and it’s a great thing. This album features some nice leads, a full sound, some mid-paced and faster tracks, and much of it gets old-school thrashy. This album will appeal to all Mortal Sin fans, and particularly to Mortal Sin fans of old. Regardless, if you’re an Aussie metal fan, this would do well in your collection.

Mortal Sin’s An Absence of Faith is out now on Riot.