Moris Blak started in 2016 after almost a decade of experimenting with electronic music production, and performing in metal bands. The name is actually a reference to a true crime documentary. The American solo-project released a few EP’s on Blind Mice Productions. The official debut album “The Irregularity Of Being”, released by the end of 2019 on Negative Gain reveals a solid mix between EBM and industrial sound treatments. The work has been accomplished by the addition of guest singers: Pete Crane, Amelia Arsenic, Angel Metro, Slighter and Noire Antidote & Johnny E. Veil. This interview is an introduction to the sonic universe of Moris Blak.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What have been the main ideas and influences to set up Moris Blak and what kind of sound did you want to compose?

MB:Moris Blak combines modern bass music and the cold aggression of the industrial genre. A typical studio session draws from unnerving atmospheres of horror films, the mechanical opera of cyberpunk, and walls of heavy bass from the main stage of an EDM festival. I like to say that I create music for warehouse raves in towns run by esoteric cults.

Q: I noticed you define your music/sound as ‘industrial bass’. The bass lines clearly are solid, but what’s the deeper significance and your own quest when it comes to sound creation?

MB: Historically, industrial has been a fairly insular scene. It’s influenced in large part by the early days of experimental electronic music, and most modern artists in the field are still paying tribute to those pioneers of noise.

I discovered new gods in the bone-rattling frequencies of bass music. There is a dark energy and ‘Lovecraftian’ dread that brews below 100hz. I fully indulge in the headiness of that, and encourage my listeners to do the same.

Q: You released a few EP’s and other digital productions before your debut album “The Irregularity Of Being”. In which way is the album the apotheosis of your earlier work and/or a kind of consecration for all your efforts. How do you see the evolution from the early work towards the album?

MB: My early EP’s were very experimental in their sound design, till trying to find their footing. A new artist’s first release often evidences a desire to break all the rules while at the same time wearing their influences prominently…

Although I’m proud of those releases, it wasn’t until my EP “Femmes d’le Obscurite” that I learned to use the proper tools to create the sounds I had been hearing in my head. This began a shift to much more heavily-distorted modulating basslines, and started collaborations with some incredibly talented vocalists and producers that I had been a fan of for years. It’s been a real honor working with them.

Q: What did you keep in mind from the writing and recording of the album? Did you have specific criteria and/or references to work with the different guest singers on the album?

MB: I chose my singers based on their exceptional catalogs, giving each full creative control with the lyrics. I gave them a mostly completed track, and let it guide them in how to create a complimentary vocal part in their own style. This lack of initial oversight helped the track to develop and grow naturally. I wanted each piece to be a true collaboration, and I believe this approach creates a much richer and more immersive environment.

Q: How did the recording and production of the vocals happen? What can you say about the lyrical content and the deeper significance of the album title?

MB: As I mentioned, these talented artists recorded their parts at their preferred studio space with little direction from me. It was really about trusting them to bring their own style and talent to the table. I’d give some insight into what I was aiming for in terms of lyrical content, but each artist’s words were their own response to the bleak soundscapes I provided.

The title of this album, “The Irregularity Of Being”,is sort of an acknowledgement of my own personal battles on the road to producing and releasing it. Writing my first full album took a decade of battling imposter syndrome, and questioning a lot about myself and the world I found myself in. It takes a while to find your voice, creatively, and your twenties is when many people find that existential bearing that will guide them into the future. “The Irregularity Of Being” is a reference to the book “The Conspiracy Against The Human Race” by Thomas Ligotti, a collection of grim, pessimistic examinations that acknowledged my own reflections on the nature of being.

Q: Live shows have been cancelled due to the Corona lockdown. What do you expect about further live shows and what are you actually doing during the lockdown (artistic wise)?

MB: Despite all the negatives of this situation, the isolation of lockdown has actually been an opportunity for me to dig deeper into creating music. I have been hard at work on two new releases for Negative Gain Productions. Both releases will be a collection of collaborations, remixes, and originals -details coming soon. Over the next couple of months, I’ll be releasing some new remixes as well. This pandemic has allowed me to produce some of my heaviest material to date.

2020 was the year that I had planned several tours, and planned on playing several festivals during the summer. Like most artists, I was disheartened by the sudden cancellations and the prospect of live performances completely drying up, but I’m taking this as an opportunity to refine my stage presence, produce new material, and continue planning a full tour of the U.S. and beyond when this is all over.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info:  Moris Blak is an American project that previously released a few EP’s on Blind Mice Productions. The official debut album “The Irregularity Of Being” has been released by the end of 2019 on Negative Gain.

Content: The album takes off with an overwhelming intro followed by an EBM driven cut featuring spoken samplings. The song is carried by a solid bass line, which is an aspect that comes through all over the work. The more you enter the world of Moris Blak, the more it sounds as an offspring between EBM and harder, industrial music. Some songs have been accomplished with icy tunes. Several guest singers (Pete Crane, Amelia Arsenic, Angel Metro, Slighter and Noire Antidote & Johnny E. Veil) have been invited to each sing one song.

+ + + : This debut album is absolutely worthy of examination. Moris Blak stands for an intelligent mix between EBM elements and industrial sound treatments. The songs are danceable, but diversified. The input of multiple singers accentuates the variety of the tracklist. I especially like the cuts featuring Pete Crane (cf.  “Erase Displace”) and Amelia Arsenic (ex Angelspit). Next to these songs I also enjoyed the impressive intro-like cut (cf. “Every Limb Into The Bottomless Pit”) and the title song, which comes at the end of the ride. “The Irregularity Of Being” is an elaborated and intelligent writing!

– – – : I maybe regret Moris Blak has recorded this album with multiple vocalists instead of a real front man. It however never hurts!

Conclusion: This work is a noticeable debut standing for well-crafted, industrial EBM!

Best songs: “The Irregularity Of Being”, “Erase Displace feat. Pete Crane”, “Every Limb Into The Bottomless Pit”, “Upgrade Me feat. Amelia Arsenic”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/morisblakaudio

Label: www.negativegain.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Negative–Gain/212061438836984

About Moris Blak

Moris Blak is an industrial bass artist based in Boston, Massachusetts, per Discogs, which lists a run of self-released EPs and singles between 2017 and 2019 preceding this album, “The Irregularity Of Being”.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

In honour of the 20th anniversary of the first volume of “The Unquiet Grave”, Cleopatra Records presents “The Unquiet Grave 2019”, a compilation that features 25 international Post-Punk, Goth, Industrial, Darkwave and Experimental artists from across the dark music spectrum.

The label’s original concept behind “The Unquiet Grave” varied from other Cleopatra compilations they completed such as “The Goth Box” (1996) as well as “The Black Bible” (1998), that included legacy acts such as Bauhaus, Virgin Prunes and Legendary Pink Dots along with a variety of up-and-coming bands. On the other hand, “The Unquiet Grave” (1999) exclusively featured new artists that deserved the opportunity for exposure to a larger audience. That original 1999 edition would include such bands as Bella Morte, Diary of Dreams, Android Lust and Rhea’s Obsession, to name a few.

“The Unquiet Grave 2019” applies the same formula as that original volume by showcasing 25 artists that equally deserve your attention. “The Unquiet Grave 2019” will be available on June 14th via all digital and streaming outlets.

The Unquiet Grave 2019 features: The Ink Bats, Social Station, The Sedona Effect, Antidote for Annie, Silver Walks, New Zero God, The Long Losts, Schedule IV, Hypofixx, Lorelei Dreaming, Fear Incorporated, Metamorph, Angel Metro, Abbey Death, The Drowning Season, May May Graves, Red Lokust, Acclimate, Traumabond, ENGRAM, Tragic Impulse, Spider Lilies, RCH IV, Dreamchild, Moss Garten.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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