Matt Heafy and Ihsahn making “great progress” on Mrityu black metal project

Matt Heafy and Ihsahn
Matt Heafy and Ihsahn (Image credit: Frank Hoensch/Redferns (Getty), Haakon Hoseth)

Matt Heafy and Ihsahn have been working on the Trivium frontman’s long-awaited Mrityu project while in lockdown.

The project first came to light eight years ago when Heafy was looking to explore his love of black metal, with Emperor’s Ihsahn hooking up with Heafy to make an album.

Updating fans on the record's progress, Ihsahn says on Instagram: “It’s Mrityu Monday and me and Matt Heafy have been tracking some killer vocals. 

“The current situation prevents us from travelling, but with this technology, it is almost like we’re in the same studio. Matt is absolutely killing it and we’re making great progress every session.”

Heafy later shared Ihsahn’s post on his own channel.

In an editorial piece on Metal And Honey back in November 2012, Heafy explained why he loved the genre so much, saying: “Black Metal for me has always evoked feelings of something beyond the realms of normality.

“When listening, one is usually taken back visually to more savage viking or medieval-eras – it's not unlike being immersed into legendary tales set within the landscape of the cold wilderness of the Northern-most, snow-engulfed foreign and forgotten lands. 

“The note choices and performance aspects always pushed the boundaries of what basically anything else in any genre of metal were doing.”

Further details will be revealed in due course.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.