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Thursday, May 14, 2009
MORTAL - NU-EN-JIN / 2002 / DISCOGRAPHY / BIOGRAPHY / REVIEW
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-TENNO
2-MR.AROCHET
3-DYMENSHAN(KR-KRIK-POP!)
4-MUJO(UNCERTAINTY MX)
5-FMZ4
6-FLORANCLAUDE
7-TERAFERMA
8-CLOUDBURST
9-MYTHO EX(GREEN ADIT)
10-THE WORD IS ALIVE(Jeromix)
MORTAL - GOODSPEED /1998
THIS COMPILATION CONTAIN(15-TRACKS)
1-PARADIGM ONE(From Wake)
2-ALIVE & AWAKE(From Fathom)
3-GRIP(From Pura)
4-MYTHO-X(From Lusis)
5-RIFT(From Fathom)
6-BLEEDER
7-CRYPTIC(From Lusis)
8-LIFT(From Live Album)
9-MOTHER'S DAY(From Wake)
10-SOLAMENTE(From Pura)
11-FRAY LAGOON(From Mortal)
12-JIL SENT ME(From Fathom)
13-KINGFLUX(From Mortal)
14-ENFLESHED(From Lusis)
15-GODSPEED(From Fathom)
MORTAL - MORTAL/1996
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-MISSION
2-KINGFLUX
3-OVERMIND
4-ANYTHING
5-SCALAWAG
6-MIGHTY FORCE
7-FRAY LAGOON
8-RAIL,ROAD
9-RUN(ATMOSTRANGE)
10-STREAMRUNNER)
MORTAL - PURA / 1999
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-JUDAH
2-GRIP
3-SAND STARR
4-SOLAMENTE
5-NIGHTFALL & SPLENDOR
6-PURA
7-LIQUID GIFT
8-GAZA
9-BELLS
10-THE NIGHTFALL
MORTAL - WAKE - 1994
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(14-TRACKS)
1-PARADIGM ONE
2-JUNE FIRST
3-MOTHER'S DAY
4-VIAL
5-SPEED OF SOUND
6-FILTER
7-OCEANFUL
8-SERPENT-TEEN
9-MOONS & SUNS
10-FALL
11-SOLD
12-GOD OF 3 STRINGS
13-NOWHERE MAN
14-TO MY DARLING WHIPPOORWILL
MORTAL - FATHOM/1993
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(13-TRACKS)
1-ALIVE & AWAKE
2-NEPLUSSULTRA
3-RIFT
4-JILL SENT ME
5-EX-NIHILO
6-ABOVE AND BEYOND
7-SILENCE
8-RAINLIGHT
9-BRIGHT WINGS
10-XIX
11-PROMULGATE
12-ELECTRICFY
13-GODSPEED
MORTAL - LUSIS/1992
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(13-TRACKS)
1-ENFLESHED(THE WORLD IS ALIVE)
2-MYTHO-X
3-IF EVER MARIA...
4-FLISHERMAN
5-PAINKILLER
6-TUESDAYS ASSASSIN
7-RECINDING
8-CRYPTIC
9-MIRACLE MAN
10-SANTA CRUZ
11-S.F.N
12-SINISTER
13-ENFLESHED(The Wolrd Is Alive remix)
BIOGRAPHY:
Before virtually introducing industrial music to CCM, Jyro and Jerome formed the band Mortal Wish in 1988 with Wilson Peralta and Ray Tongpo. The group released a demo cassette, but later shortened the name and dropped Peralta and Tongpo. Mortal's first album, Lusis, appeared in 1992 on the Intense label; the single "Mytho-X" became a hit on the Christian metal charts and the duo were named the best new band of 1992 in a CCM readers' poll. Mortal added more guitars for 1993's Fathom, but discontinued the group just before recording Wake, which was released the following year. Nevertheless, another final album appeared in 1996. The duo continue to produce as Blood (with Mark Rodriguez) and record as Fold Zandura, and have released a live Mortal EP, Intense Live Series Vol. 5. A mellower Mortal side project called Pura is also available on Intense. In 2002, Mortal returned to the scene after taking a year off. The funky grooves of Nu-En-Jin appeared in fall 2002.
REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(Fathom)
In 1993, I chose to buy Fathom because it had a cool cover. I never imagined that what I was buying would turn out to be one of the best alternative/industrial albums I have ever heard. Fathom to this day ranks among what I consider to be one of the best CD's ever released. From the powerful "Alive and Awake" to the ballad like "Jil Sent Me", Jerome and Gyro inspire and provide a quality sound unparalled in most of the alternative genre. For those who have still not heard of mortal, I made believers out of an entire dorm floor at college. Check it out when it is re-released in 2000, .Jyro is a phenomenal musician, and his compositions are, in my mind, the perfect blend of heavy guitars, movie samples ("Blade Runner", "Aliens"...even "A Wonderful Life", and several more I didn't recognize) and Techno-Influenced Synths. Icing to the cake is Jyro's Vocals--from the haunting "Rift", hard-core "Neplusultra", eclectic "Fisherman", Jyro can do it all, and does it all well. The lyrics are intelligent, thoughtful, and uplifting...without sounding out-of-place in Mortal changed my mind about Christian music, and now I rarely listen to secular, anymore...not a small feat. Enjoy! this style of music. The highlights of FATHOM is one mega dose of EXCELLENT industrial. If you like industrial, GET IT!!! I like almost every song on there, but I have some favorites. "Neplusultra" is heavy killer industrial track. "Jil Sent Me" is a very Lovely Ballad with cellos and backbeat. "Above And Beyond" is a catchy industrial tune. "Rainlight" is a short track telling about a friendship.And my favorite track is next "Bright Wings"...an awesome backbeat with Catchy Beat and Guitar. Not Heavy, not Mellow. Itis my absolute favorite. Next would be "Promulgate", Anotherkiller industrial track. 'Electrify' is also a cool but slowertrack that is cool to hear. I Recommend FATHOM all the way! Wonderful album.
REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(Wake)
Mortal was simply the greatest. Live they rocked so hard the heavens shook. Can you imagine a Mortal concert in Heaven with Him smiling, dancing...Thanks, Jerome and Jyro...from an old guy...48..still rocking.Mortal is, without a doubt, One OF My Favorite Christian band. But unfortunately, that is not because of "Wake"; it's despite "Wake". "Wake" sounds more like Jyro and Jerome's later efforts in Fold Zandura. If you are not familiar with Fold Zandura, then think Mellow. The Guitars are still there, but instead of intense Heavy Riffs with lots of distorted power chords, "Wake" features dreamy, electronic ambiance over sustained second chords on clean guitars with lots of chorusing and echo. It's not bad, but if you are looking for another industrial powerhouse like "Lusis" or "Fathom", you'd probably be better off buying "King Planet" by Fold Zandura (itself pretty mellow other than the title track and "Avalanche") or even better, Jyro's self-titled "Juggernautz" Albums (awesome!!!).
REVIEW FOR THE ALBUM(Nu-En-Jin)
If you know Mortal, you're probably expecting something different from their comeback album, and you'd be right. This time around the band is reincarnated as a noise-intensive post-nuclear industrial dance act. "Nu-En-Jin" is all digital drums, ambient FX and heavily distorted, screaming vocals with the kind of futuristic cyberpunk lyrics you'd expect form such an album. Its grating, its catchy ... The songs come in three flavors - the aforementioned computer-apocalypse dance mixes, affairs that eschew all melody in favor of pure destructive energy, much quieter, ambient tunes which actually contain some muted, melodic(hypnotic) singing, and a couple of remixes off Lusis which work quite well in their new setting. Jyro and Jerome continue to prove interesting throughout their diverse artistic incarnations, and this album is no exception. The songs are interesting, if not to everybody's taste, but "Nu-En-Jin" really shines lyrically. The lyrics are stories set in the near-future or some alternate history, often ripped straight out of a video game or a Gibson novel, but they manage to overcome their inherent cliches to explore some deeper truths about people. They also bring me to my major complaint about the album - the artwork overlaying the lyrics makes for an incredibly frustrating read.For all of you Jyro Khan fans, you're in for a treat. But be warned, this is different than anything that Mortal has ever done. Since Mortals fall off the scene, Jyro Khan has ventured into his bands of Fold Zandur and Juggernautz (an incredible group I might add). But now he is back with vengance. I was a little taken back by Jyro's "screaming" of the lyrics, but the beat and mixing of music is outstanding. He takes his music to a new level. You'll love it.It's no doubt most long time Mortal fans will be scratching their heads after listening to this record. Nu-En-Jin is not as accessible as previous offerings from this groundbreaking band. The band actually thanks "the handful of you for getting it, and the masses who won't" in the CD sleeve. However, I don't think all Mortal fans will feel completely alienated by the progression that the band has taken; not this reviewer anyways. Given that this project was a) highly anticipated and b) released on prominent christian-oriented indie rock label Tooth and Nail, it could have been easy for Jyro and Jerome to make that trendy industrial rock record sure to at least propell them into the upper ranks of the christian rock charts. They didn't. The main thing different about Nu-En-Jin from previous Mortal albums is the obvious lack of pop sensibility. With the exception of the tranquil "muj0," most of the vocals on these tracks are narrated or screamed, never sung, and always distorted - recalling vintage Skinny Puppy. Despite the fact that Mortal has always been considered an industrial dance/rock act, Nu-En-Jin is actually Mortal's first true industrial album. Although there is some sampling of guitars, metal heads will surely be dissappointed by the lack of guitar work. However, the intensity and heaviness of tracks such as "Mr ArOchet" and "FMZ4" cannot be denied. Furthermore, we are treated to remixes of "Mytho-X" and "Enfleshed (The Word is Alive)," which previously appeared on the band's 1992 debut, Lusis. While I don't necessarily consider the new versions to be big improvements over the originals, the band does manage to bring a different vibe to the songs. If anything, the newer versions have less of an archaic feel given the originals are 10 years old as of now. Oh, and I should mention that "mytho ex (Green Edit)" features Switchfoot vocalist, Jonathan Foreman, on lead vocals. Whether Nu-En-Jin was a "one off" come back deal for Mortal, no one seems to know. Hopefully, the guys will stick around for a while. One thing that is guaranteed, if history is any indication, their next album will sound nothing like anything they have done before. But, I think it's safe to assume that Nu-En-Jin is destined to slip through the commercial cracks(http://www.holymetalrob.com)