MØL – Diorama | Album Review

It's interesting to see how just one record can divert the path of a whole genre of music.

Whilst the origins of the movement can be traced back to the work courtesy of bands such as Alcest, Lantlôs and Altar of Plagues at the tail end of the 2010s, there’s absolutely no denying that the behemoth that is the blackgaze genre was spearheaded into mainstream consciousness thanks to Deafheaven’s monumental record Sunbather. It was, and nigh on still is, a game changer of a release, one that subverted the black metal genre and utilised its stereotypically repelling and pungent conventions in order to portray something beautiful, contemporary, and most importantly, unique.

It’s been approximately eight years since the release of that record and in-between that time the blackgaze scene has swelled exponentially. Swathes upon swathes of bands inspired by the shimmering depths of blackgaze have formed since that release – some inarguably better than others – but yet one that immediately stood out from the swarm was Denmark’s MØL. Upon its early 2018 release, the group’s LP debut Jord presented a band with a masterful understanding of the form, with the group offering a record that was masterfully executed, poignant in tone and creative in scope. It was, to be put simply, a triumph of a release, one that shot the band into the higher tiers of the scene hierarchy and bequeathed them with an air of mystery, allure and praise. Now, with their second full length, MØL are on the very cusp of releasing the second game changer within the blackgaze echelon. Enter Diorama, a record that utterly transcends the genre and beckons forth a new era of blackgaze.

Opening with the clean fretwork of ‘Fraktur’, the crucial and pivotal nature of this record takes form and centre stage swiftly. Whereas the beatification of blackened metal was originally accomplished by the aforementioned artists, Diorama presents black metal in a way that’s entirely unexpected and exhilarating; it sounds jubilant and joyful. Where Jord was pensive, brooding and at times holistic, Diorama sees the band reaching out with hands outstretched towards the light above, freed from the typically restricting nature of the black metal sound. However, this is not a total and drastic change in tone. Instead, it’s more a testament to MØL’s steadfast commitment to progression and musical eclecticism, a pledge they execute with spellbinding finesse on this record.

The incredible four track run that is ‘Fraktur’ to ‘Vestige’ showcases and establishes this tonal shift in a way that’s quite simply flawless. Within these tracks, the band forgo their previously somewhat stoic nature and thrash and revel in divine shoegaze ambience, serrated riffs and dynamically fluid progression that allows the record to twist and turn through a myriad of surprises, such as the punk punch of ‘Vestige’ and the surprisingly colossal chorus within ‘Serf’. This change, mostly, is in thanks to the work of guitarists Nicolai Busse Bladt and Frederik Lippet. Whilst MØL only tentatively dipped their toes into cleaner melodicism with their early work, in this release the band fully dive headfirst into blissful, soaring melodies that drive these tracks forward. It’s these sweeping and luminous guitar melodies that carries the record forward, with the two guitarists constantly battling it out with bombastic black metal riffs and soaring, almost angelic harmonies.

Despite all of this, and even with an exaggerated focus on melody, Diorama is still a product of work created by a band deep-rooted in the mire and fury of black metal. The group’s established haste, rage and snarling fury is very much the fuel that drives this record, but it’s been channelled in a way that’s inspired and visionary. One only needs to look towards tracks such as the focused ‘Redacted’, the snarling yet melodic stomp of ‘Itinerari’ and ‘Tvesind’ – a song that is very much MØL’s own ‘Dream House’ moment – to see how the band utilize the fire of the genre to jettison them into more exploratory genres whilst all still retaining their identity.

However, the band’s steadfast retention of their black metal identity is very much held by the bellows and roars of vocalist Kim Song Sternkopf. Whilst Diorama is very much a joyous release, the lyrical concepts within this album are harrowing, with the record touching upon firsthand experiences of grief, crippling fear and overcoming life altering trauma. Whilst addressing these subjects, Sternkopf delivers a performance that is simply sublime and urgent, seeking catharsis in a way that’s palatable, and at times, overwhelming. This very much feeds into the central theme of the record though; it’s impossible not to feel Sternkopf obtaining this much required release with the creation of this record, and with this clarity realised, the record is ultimately buoyant and alive with freedom and lucidity. This is triumphant and ecstatic listening, one rooted within fury but one successfully striving for personal, emotional and creative freedom.

It’s difficult to state not only the sheer excellence of this record, but its cultural importance too. Diorama is a record that sees MØL creating a body of work that bypasses and transcends the black metal and blackgaze art-form to become something new, fascinating and ceaselessly exciting. This is devastating and dreamy eclecticism in its most inspired and driven form, a record that will be celebrated and discussed for years to come much like the albums that clearly inspired its creation. Whilst blackgaze in the 2010s belonged to Deafheaven, with this under their belts MØL are undeniably and proudly carrying the torch for blackgaze forward into the new decade.