MORTAL SIN
"Out
of the Darkness" DVD (Livecast; 2004)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
I must admit I knew little about Mortal Sin before their "Out of the Darkness" DVD arrived in my mailbox. I'd heard of the Australian band, but don't think I'd ever heard their music. So I didn't really know what to expect when I put the disc in my DVD player. All I knew was what it said on the back cover: "On March 5th of 2004, Mortal Sin returned triumphantly to the stage at Sydney's Annandale Hotel. See what happened!"
I am happy to report that "Out of The Darkness" surpassed my every expectation.
First, the band is awesome. Playing classic metal in the Judas Priest / Iron Maiden vein, the band tears through nine great songs, including three previously unreleased songs expected to appear on the band's next studio album, "Far From Extinction." The veteran rockers know how to play a live show and do so with irresistible charisma, style and talent. Immediately after viewing this DVD, I clicked over to eBay and bid on a couple of the band's CDs.
Secondly, despite the band's boast of a measly $400 budget to create the DVD, "Out of the Darkness" looks great. It's not one of those DVDs that come from a single fan camera with over modulated sound. Instead, it's a high quality production with multiple camera angles and even 5.1 Surround Sound. Stunning!
And then there's the extras, from an insightful interview with the band to classic footage from nearly twenty years ago (my, how hairstyles have changed!).
"Out of the Darkness" is a hugely successful DVD release that's made even more amazing by the band's limited budget. Kudos to the folks over at Livecast (http://www.livecast.com.au) for a great complete DVD package and kudos to Mortal Sin for proving that heavy metal never dies.
Mortal Sin: Andy Eftichiou - bass; Mick Sultana - guitar; Mat Maurer - vocals; Wayne Campbell - drums; Joe Buttigieg - guitar.
At the moment, the band's website at http://www.mortalsin.com.au seems to be down, but maybe it'll be back up soon. In the meantime, a little research has led me to understand that the DVD is only available through the band via e-mail at matmaurer@optusnet.com.au.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 18 Mar 2024 11:16:01 -0500.
