Norilsk | Gigantes Mortui MMXIV-MMXXIV | Hypnotic Dirge Records

Release Date: November 7, 2025

Format: Digital/CD/Cassette

Genre: Doom Metal

Country: Canada

Norilsk has spent a decade carving its own path through the colder corners of doom metal. Formed in Quebec, the band grew into its current shape when Tom Hansen and Matt MacIvor joined in the years that followed. Since then, the band has operated with a steady chemistry, pushing toward a heavy, atmospheric style built on deep growls, sorrowed melodies and a steady march that recalls classic death doom while keeping things personal and grounded. “Gigantes Mortui” marks ten years of activity, presented through new live-in-the-room versions of songs from across their history.

What stands out is how unified the material sounds when performed by the current line-up. These are songs born in different years and moods, yet the band gives them a single voice. Everything comes across immediate, raw and human, recorded with an energy that reflects how they perform on stage. “Beyond The Horizon,” first released during lockdown years, gains a firmer presence here, as if the song finally found a home. The older tracks carry the extra weight of time, shaped by countless nights in front of audiences. 

“Ghosts Of Loss,” originally from 2017, arrives with a darker resolve. The French-sung selections add texture and sorrow, especially “Le Puits De L’oubli” which rolls in steady waves, pulling the listener deeper into the band’s cold world. “No Sacred Ground” closes the album with a sense of gratitude toward underground doom fans, almost like a slow salute to everyone who has supported harsh, emotional music kept alive far from big stages.

The production keeps things unvarnished. The guitars sound thick, the vocals sit heavy and human, and the rhythm section moves with a deliberate pace that anchors everything. Nothing distracts, nothing draws unnecessary attention. The album simply presents Norilsk as they stand today, steady, serious and dedicated to their craft. It is not flashy, it is not theatrical, it is simply honest doom metal played with focus.

“Gigantes Mortui” works as a portrait of a band entering its second decade, not by reinventing anything, but by showing where their journey has taken them. The album’s strength lies in its unity and its atmosphere, a cold Canadian dusk wrapped in sound. Fans of My Dying Bride, Mourning Beloveth, Officium Triste and Morgion will likely find a familiar sadness here, delivered with Norilsk’s personal stamp.

Score: 7.0

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorilskDoom/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norilskdoom/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf-_GYz9HnA