Style: Dissonant Death Metal, Experimental Death Metal (Harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Blood Incantation, Gorguts, Immolation, Voivod, Ulcerate
Country: Canada
Release date: 6 February 2026

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Death metal is often denounced as caveman music; brutal sounds for brutal people. For the Sanguisugabogg-gear-wearing meatheads amongst us who require nothing more than baritone chugging and beer as fuel for pit stomping, this is an appropriate description. Though just as humanity’s early ancestors evolved into various subspecies of primitive man, so has death metal developed a complex phylogenetic tree. Mors Verum’s style represents a subspecies of cerebral, philosophical caveman. Rather than expending all of their energy chasing down woolly mammoths, this group is busy contemplating our existence and place amongst the stars, in a brutal sort of way of course. So does this Neanderthal thinker achieve higher thought? Or are they confused by their own reflection?

As Canvas opens with off-kilter guitar and bass riffing alongside intricate drum work, the supreme intellect of this caveman is immediately on display. Mors Verum’s sound is led by the Voivod-like approach of guitarist Mrudul Kamble, interweaving frantic tremolo picking with dissonant and angular palm-muted slower sections. Interspersed pick scrapes and alien-finger tapping along the fret board result in a mosaic of tones that no early version of man should be capable of creating. Greg Carvalho drums frantically without ever losing control. Rather than depending on straightforward blast beats and double bass kicks, his playing is constantly shifting, resulting in an expressive and immersive listen. The cymbal work on display throughout Canvas is mind-bending, peaking behind the slow chugging of “Serenade”. Carvalho exhibits skill far beyond the bones pounding on stretched animal hides that the ignorant may expect.

Though a consistent complexity is inherent to the songs on Canvas, the many stylistic changes flow fluidly. The song “Canvas”, for instance, opens with technical tremolo guitar work, which fades to reveal a serene jazz-inspired midsection driven by Carvalho and Spencer Mitchell’s bassline. After a couple of hypnotic minutes, the listener finds themselves absorbed back in the midst of Mors Verum’s full progressive death metal glory. With this compositional variety, Canvas is never stale or boring. One minor gripe is that Michell’s bass could be pushed forward in the mix rather than buried under the guitars, resulting in a richer overall experience. Regardless, through the band’s exploration of diverse musical sections, a dark atmosphere of curiosity and wonder permeates. Once the eccentric sounds of philosophical ponderings within Canvas bloom, fans of dissonant and unconventional death metal will realize the true glory of Mors Verum.

Just as you would be incorrect to assume this intellectual caveman lacks the capacity for self-introspection, it would also be a mistake to presume Mors Verum’s brand of dissonant death metal lacks melody or beauty. In “Your Apocalypse”, following a blistering though tasteful guitar solo, the closing section introduces a musical theme that is amplified with an enchanting guitar melody. After the melody disappears, the theme is continued in the form of burly metal stomping. As a unit, the band carries the musical idea to a natural conclusion as the song ends. In moments like these, it is apparent that Canvas is not simply a tapestry of riffs patched together like so many death metal acts, but well thought out, unified compositions.

Mors Verum has produced a complex and compelling album in Canvas. The attention to detail placed in the song structures and instrumental performances demonstrate a refined and sophisticated caveman. Fans of the heavier side of weird and unconventional music will find a lot to enjoy. So while Blood Incantation may be leading the exploration of the cosmos, Mors Verum demonstrate there’s plenty of cave grime left to deliberate on.

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Recommended tracks: Bloodied Teeth, Your Apocalypse, Canvas
You may also like: Cave Sermon, Devenial Verdict, Replicant, Serpent of Old, Tomb Mold, Misanthropy
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Mors Verum is:
– Lyndon Quadros (vocals)
– Mrudul Kamble (guitars)
– Spencer Mitchell (bass)
– Greg Carvalho (drums)