For anyone familiar with previous Madder Mortem releases and for anyone looking to pick up one of these albums, will know they are notoriously difficult to ‘get’ on the first listen. These records are growers. While their previous offering ‘Desiderata’ had a few more instantly appealing songs, by and large it was not an album to hit you between the eyes and have you humming along to.

The need for perseverance will alienate some who have neither the time nor patience for repeated listens and will soon move on. Which might go some way to explaining why Madder Mortem have such a niche following and are still very much seen as undiscovered, despite ‘Eight Ways’ being the bands 5th album. For those who do however give ‘Eight Ways’ a chance will find an album full of soul and the Madder Mortem trademark of angst packed melodies inter-dispersed with punchy riffs and catchy hooks are offered up in an abundance.

Female lead metal acts are by no means in the minority any longer but Agnete Kirkevaag does provide a striking focal (& vocal) point to the bands music which does differentiate her from many out there peddling their wares today. The album has a feeling of a band wanting to make a more immediate impact both lyrically and musically. Lyrically the whole record is far more straight forward and less suggestive while musically, while retaining all the musical textures and complexity for which the band are so famed the songs are far more instantly appealing. You sense a great deal of effort has been taken to achieve a simpler approach and it is this care and loving attention to the detail that makes Madder Mortem a really undiscovered gem, and like all gems they take an age to create but once found should be treasured forever.