I for one don't really see the point in Mortiis in his current musical phase. Sure, his older brand or gothic synth ambience wasn't really my cup of tea, but at least it was his own. Nowadays he's peddling a mish-mash of stolen ideas from industrial bands that have long passed their prime - only executing them in an awkward, clunky, and far less interesting fashion.

"Decadent & Desperate" is the second cut from recent album "The Grudge", and all things considered it's definitely one of the better tracks. Fans of Nine Inch Nails may find something of interest here - the intro is ripped straight from "Starfuckers, Inc.", before descending into harsh dance metal industrial beats akin to the likes of "Heresy" or "Big Man With Gun" from the "Downward Spiral" era. An enjoyable track despite an awkward and un-impressive vocal performance.

"Underdog" - the first B-side - is a fairly pointless exercise. Starting off sounding exactly like a Ministry track from "Psalm 69" and then descending into pop-industrial akin to "Golden Age of Grotesque" era Marilyn Manson, I just can't help thinking I've heard all this before, only done far better by the original bands. I even notice that he's now giving his releases "code numbers", calling this single "Morpheus Five" - a cynical copy of Nine Inch Nails trademark "Halo" categorization system? You betcha by golly wow.

"Gibber - Gibbering Idiot Mix" is the final nail in the coffin - an extremely short, pointless and overly forgettable dance remix that sucks the life out of one of the more palatable tracks from the latest album and turns it into a steaming pile of cack.

It seems that no amount of Troll makeup or gothic gimmickery can cover up lack of originality. And this single is a perfect example. I'm just thankful it isn't as bad as the previous single - "The Grudge" - which is possibly one of the worst songs I've heard in years - and features a chorus that involves the lyrics "like a shit on a stick". Marvellous. What on earth possessed this man to leave Emperor and do this instead?

Surprisingly enough, this single almost broke the Top 40 upon its release - narrowly missing out at position 41. Not bad for a man who wears a big rubber troll mask and allegedly lives in a tree - but then I suppose Slipknot made it to number one in the album charts…..

Standout Tracks:  Decadent & Desperate (shockingly enough).

Overall Score:   5 /10