Mortiis has had different Eras in terms of his music, he started as Håvard Ellefsen bassist and lyricist for black metal band Emperor Wrath of the tyrant demo only to create dungeon synth. Because of this he has divided his musical journey through Eras which we will take a look.
Era I dungeon synth, it is atmospheric and ran through the years of 1993-1999, the albums include: The Song of a Long Forgotten Ghost (Demo), Født til å Herske, Ånden som Gjorde Opprør, Keiser Av En Dimensjon Ukjent, Blood and Thunder (EP), Crypt of the Wizard, The Stargate. Dungeon Synth, Dark Ambient. Atmospheric instrumental conpositions. He wore a Full prosthetic goblin troll face mask. Created the subgenre.
Era II 2001 The Smell of Rain only composed of that album and changed into a more Electropop, Darkwave, Synthpop. It is Melodic, song oriented. He wore a Sleeker mask that went with the aesthetic instead of medieval robes. While could still be fantasy lore of parallel dimension it is far more psycohological in term of themes.
Era III from 2004-2010 is more industrial influenced, albums include The Grudge, Some Kind of Heroin (Remix), Perfectly Defect. Mortiis phased out the Mask slowly had a stitched together decaying version of the mask and would rip it off. No more fantasy elements, only real world themes like inner demons.
Era 0 2016-2023 As a mix of styles, he returned to his mask albums include The Great Deceiver, The Great Corrupter (Remix), The Unraveling Mind (Archival), Spirit of Rebellion, Født til å Herske (Re-recording. You had Industrial and dungeon synth later.
Unknown Beyond Era 2024- it includes the albums: The Awaken: Forgotten Songs From The Smell Of Rain, Ghosts of Europa. Which are Darkwave, synth and has a mixed mask usage, no longer wanting to define eras in a way is its own era.
Mortiis Violent Silence Lyrics from the Album Ghosts of Europa
Mortiis — “Violent Silence”
Never certain of what to say,
I know you want a certain truth,
Let the truth show,
Or, let the truth go.
I never dreamed since you faltered,
And life’s become simpler.
With every step with some go-to truth’s
You were never further away,
Your voice just got so loud,
When I never make a sound.
My silence is a strange
When reality,
Reality is just a dream...
It’s quiet now. And the
nicest human being,
Your violent silence is all that I hear.
I’m not weird,
I must’ve lost again,
You’re incomplete,
I guess I broke you?
The pain, the rationale
I gave that all to you,
The pain would not be won,
I gave that all,
I gave that all to you.
Surrounded by the sea,
I’m lost in the deep,
I wake up run run run
Surrounded by the sea,
God damn this machine,
Now wake up run? run? run?
Never certain what to say,
And I know you want your solitude?
Let the truth show,
Or let the truth go.
Life itself seems to slow down,
My body hurts, yet I am alone,
Unspoken words, And pain is lost,
I see you have stopped
Do you know who you love?,
To kill the pain, you let it win,
To make it through, you cut it loose
The ghost that pulls you down,
The pain won’t go away,
And you will be okay.
Surrounded by the sea,
I’m lost in the deep,
I wake up run run run,
Surrounded by the sea,
God damn this machine,
Now wake up run run run
Listen to the song and watch the official music video below:
Era I
