Mental Cruelty have released their latest single, “The Serpent Of Midgard,” continuing the German blackened deathcore band’s deep dive into Norse mythology.
The track arrives with a new music video directed by Rob Reva and serves as a follow-up to last year’s “Helheim,” which saw the band expanding their sonic palette with folk instrumentation and mythological storytelling.
Discussing the inspiration behind the new song, the band shared:
“On last year’s ‘Helheim,’ we expanded our instruments beyond typical deathcore fare (guitar, bass, drums and, of course, monstrous vocals) to include folk music’s talharpa, aiding in the telling of Norse mythology’s Hel. It’s only appropriate we continue darkening our sound with more black metal and melodeath inspirations as we tell the story of her brother, Jörmungandr, the titular ‘Serpent of Midgard,’ in his epic ocean battle with his uncle Thor. For those unfamiliar with the folklore, it ends in both of their demises: talk about family issues!”
“Musically, we wanted to capture the intensity of the conflict, with our guitarist Nahuel Lozano’s working title of ‘Gojibehe’ summing up key influences. You can guess those, but we’ll spell out the inspiration behind the chunky mid-section and the closest thing we get to a full-on breakdown here: our brothers Signs of the Swarm and the insane tones on their latest album!”
“But while we learned from bands we look up to and friends alike musically, sadly, we never learn from ourselves and once again shot the music video in subzero temperatures. The results are worth it—you can see for yourself—but damn, that was cold.”
Musically, “The Serpent Of Midgard” further expands on the band’s blend of deathcore, black metal, melodic death metal, and atmospheric folk influences while continuing the mythological themes that have become a defining element of their recent material.
In addition to the new single, Mental Cruelty have announced their first-ever European and UK headlining tour, which will take place later this year. The trek will feature support from Ov Sulfur and Extermination Dismemberment, while Sun Eater and Arcanius will alternate opening duties throughout the run.
The extensive tour marks a major milestone for the band as they continue building momentum across the international extreme metal scene.
Watch the official music video for “The Serpent Of Midgard” below.
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