{"id":16526,"date":"2025-12-09T01:10:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T06:10:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/?p=16526"},"modified":"2025-12-09T01:10:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T06:10:35","slug":"review-revisiting-mortifications-brain-cleaner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heavensmetalmagazine.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/09\/review-revisiting-mortifications-brain-cleaner\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Revisiting Mortification\u2019s\u00a0‘Brain Cleaner’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By the early 2000\u2019s, Mortification seemed to be spinning their tires. Despite the underrated nature of some of their mid-period albums, it seems that many metal fans were simply not that hyped about the route the band had taken since Post Momentary Affliction<\/em>. Of course, there was still a death metal element in their sound, but fans of their early albums were clamouring for a return to the heavy sounds of yore. Enter 2004\u2019s Brain Cleaner<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Cleaner<\/em>\u2019s release enters the picture two years after the sonic exit wound left by death\/thrash closing track \u201cApocalyptic Terror\u201d from previous album Relentless<\/em>. With the driving roar of that track, it seemed like Rowe and co. were hinting at heavier things to come; and fortunately, in many respects, this was to be the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Brain Cleaner<\/em> a true return to their classic death metal sound? No. But it is<\/em> a return to the band\u2019s death metal roots, just augmented with all of the sounds they\u2019d been exploring since. In some senses, Brain Cleaner<\/em> is an album that\u2019s doomed to live in the shadow of its ferocious follow-up, Erasing the Goblin<\/em>, but that\u2019s not to say it\u2019s without its own appeal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to being a power trio, Steve Rowe, alongside Michael Jelini\u0107 (of Terraphobia) and Mike Forsberg (of Cybergrind, later to become known as Martyrs Shrine), forged ahead with a sound that was decidedly heavier than anything they\u2019d done album-wise in years. Though opener \u201cBoaconstrictor\u201d is a pretty standard, albeit heavier take on their by now signature sound, second track \u201cToo Much Pain\u201d manages to conjure up some huge Post Momentary Affliction<\/em> vibes, sounding almost a sequel or second part to \u201cThis Momentary Affliction\u201d with its hammering, industrial drumming and almost black metal-leaning shrieks and snarls. \u201cPurest Intent\u201d sees the band filter their death metal sound through some serious groove, with \u201cI\u2019m Not Your Commodity\u201d following suit. Some death \u2019n roll also rears its head here in the form of \u201cBrain Cleaner,\u201d and \u201c12 Men\u201d is just straight up heavy metal. Michael Jelini\u0107\u2019s guitar work especially shines on \u201cThe Flu Virus,\u201d but for me, the highlight of the album has to be the full-on death\/thrash banger that is \u201cLivin\u2019 Like a Zombie,\u201d a track that veers from full-on aggression to passages of almost lethargic lament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyrically, Brain Cleaner<\/em> is concerned especially with the irritation that Rowe obviously felt at this point when it came to his critics and those who wanted him to make Mortification sound the way they<\/em> wanted the band to sound. Credit where credit is due, I say; say all you want about the musical avenues Mortification went down after their death metal heyday, but you can\u2019t fault Rowe for sticking to his guns. Songs like \u201cPurest Intent\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m Not Your Commodity\u201d remind me a little of Napalm Death\u2019s \u201cExtremity Retained,\u201d acting as responses to critics who say that the band has somehow sold out, and replying to those who don\u2019t like the sonic direction the band has gone in. \u201cLivin\u2019 Like a Zombie\u201d riffs on the same themes as \u201cNocturnal\u201d from Scrolls of the Megilloth<\/em> – a life on tour, playing shows before people who might hate you or not understand your message, and trying to shine the light of the Gospel in places where some Christians might fear to tread. Other tracks emphasize strengthening and holding on to one\u2019s faith, such as \u201cBoaconstrictor\u201d and \u201cBrain Cleaner.\u201d That\u2019s not to say there aren\u2019t some cringier moments on here. I know \u201cE.D.\u201d (Evil Death) is more of a joke song, but I have no idea what it\u2019s lyrically getting at, and \u201cThe Flu Virus,\u201d while I get what he\u2019s saying (make use of medicine, etc. but above all have faith in God\u2019s healing power), just comes off a bit out of left field here. Still, it\u2019s a blunt and straightforward collection of lyrics from a guy who\u2019s never shied away from any topic, nor left listeners in the dark as to how he feels about something. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, while Brain Cleaner<\/em> isn\u2019t the return-to-form banger that Erasing the Goblin<\/em> would prove to be, it is still a cool album to listen to, in spite of its occasional missteps. It\u2019s an album that saw the band go back to a heavier, more death metal-focused style all the while maintaining the eclectic approach that they\u2019d become known for in the mid-90\u2019s onward. If you haven\u2019t listened to it yet, or just never dug deep into it, give it a second chance. It\u2019s a worthwhile listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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