During Mortiis’s early years, Håvard Ellefsen released tracks at a steady pace, exploring ambient and dungeon synth soundscapes. Then, in the 2000s, he shifted towards an electro-rock blend, combining synthpop, industrial rock, coldwave and a few gothic touches... and significantly slowed down the pace of new releases, maintaining the mystery that lies behind his famous troll mask. In recent years, we’ve been treated to several live performances, compilations and (re)releases of older material, but to find what can probably be considered the roots of Ghosts of Europa, we need to go back to the 2020 EP Sins of Mine, a collaboration with Apoptygma Berzerk.
The original plan was to continue this collaboration with Stephan Groth’s synthpop/industrial rock project. Things took a different turn, however, and Ellefsen ultimately went his own way. Yet, right from the title track, one can sense glimpses of what this collaboration might have been: should we see these as ‘remnants’ or simply evidence of the two artists’ shared influences? Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream contributes to the synths, whilst the vocals of Laurie Ann Haus (we can hear her in several Blizzard games like Starcraft II and World of Warcraft), Christopher Rakkestad (Elvarhøi, Bolverk) and Iliana Basileios Tsakiraki (Enemy of Reality, SepticFlesh) join Mortiis’s vocals, interplaying to create a melancholic chorus not without a certain melancholic theatricality.
This synthetic pop is haunting – the title had already warned us as much. The album unfolds like a long confession, with Mortiis laying bare his regrets, his mistakes and the difficulties he has faced in recent years. We recognise his knack for creating sombre, mystical atmospheres (the lament Return to the Old Fields) as well as his penchant for ritual (the excellent Tribes of Dystopia, featuring throat singing by Matthew Setzer, live guitarist for Frontline Assembly, Skinny Puppy and London After Midnight). Ghosts of Europa is imbued with a sense of solemnity, a wake where David Bowie, Ulver, Nine Inch Nails… and above all Depeche Mode might all cross paths. Sean Beavan is responsible for the mix, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say!
And then, every now and then, the urge to shake your booty strikes: just have a listen to Tundra Heart of Hell and try telling us that Dave Gahan’s hip-swinging doesn’t cross your mind! It may well border on pastiche, but it’s still a fine piece of work. By subverting his pop formulas with his desire to tinker and experiment, and by blending his obvious influences with his own personal touch, Mortiis has created, with Ghosts of Europa, a captivating and haunting album (there are a few moments that really come from the guts, right up to the dramatic and poignant farewell of Farewell Romero). The coldness of the electronic sounds conveys the desolation of windswept landscapes, echoing the torments that plague the musician; it’s done with elegance and talent, so let’s not deny ourselves the pleasure.
