From the depths of Nottingham's filthy back alleys, behind the bins where mould grows a rudimentary intelligence, Mordhau is born!
Formed in 2017 by Jamie and Rich (Guitars) the bands line-up was filled out with the additions of Bret (Bass), Matty (Vocals) and Nick (Drums). The band wrote and rehearsed furiously, releasing a 2 track demo in the spring of 2018 whilst gigging tirelessly with the likes of Narayana, Wolvencrown, Absinthropy, Burial, Raised by Owls, Ingested, Pemphigoid, Blasphemer, Noctem, Sodomized Cadaver, Uberen, Damim, Hour of Penance and Devastator.
In July 2019 the band parted ways with Rich, continuing on as a four piece until they fortuitously stumbled across a group of angry hamsters throwing a large writhing bin bag into the River Trent. Whilst beating off the hamsters with a large twig, Bret dived in and retrieved the bag and thus revealed its contents – a man named Sean, completely naked except for a guitar which he admitted he couldn’t play. After whipping him with nettles the band forced him to learn said instrument and it is to his credit that he not only learnt the guitar but learned to love nettles.
With a wide range of influences, that mould was able to thrive, bringing a contemporary blend of big riffs, grooves and HM2-driven filth that pays homage to the masters of old, but also brings that sound up to modern standards whilst leaving room to explore.
Big words you say? Well, you only need to listen to the band’s debut album recorded in early 2020 and self-released later that year.
‘Immaculate Massacre’ not only proves the aforementioned comments, but also takes them to new heights before dropping them on you like some fetid musical pigeon dropping. The album received strong reviews that were dampened firstly by the world becoming a strange place to live and then the departure of Jamie. The band girded their loins and tightened their chin straps – new songs and more live shows, peppering the UK with their scum infused noise and shows with Damim, Ashen Crown, Crypta and Death Collector, amongst others.
In September 2024, Nick set fire to himself, which was a mistake and in October the band parted ways with Matty, which wasn’t. Sean, Bret and Nick searched everywhere for the voice that they needed and then one night out of the fetid gloom of the cold wintery Nottinghamshire night arrived Marc, on horseback no less and there, sat in his saddlebag, was a very confused Jamie, who professed the error of his ways whilst self-flagellating himself with a briar bush.
In the spring of 2025, Mordhau returned to the fore, playing shows all over England and Wales supporting bands such as King Abyss, Foetal Juice and Internal Conflict as well as headlining a blistering night in Nottingham before rounding out the year supporting Rumination
2026 started out as any other, with our heroes warming up the crowd at a pre Grind After Death event before Marc unexpectedley bounded away on the horse he rode in on taking a terrified Sean, bundled into the same saddlebag Jamie had ‘been’ in. His last words, barely audible over Marc’s cackling “Oh…not this…again!” What were our heroes to do? Would this spell the end of our lovable chainsaw wielding maniacs?
No, obviously not or this page would have been taken down.
Never fear, this time the lads were prepared! Now, some say that Mat can only be killed by wheat-based products. We can neither confirm or deny this. What we do know for sure is that he can play a mean guitar - and that’s good enough for us! With guitarists totalling two once more the band needed a vocaliser. The solution was soon found when the last storage bin at the practice room – unclaimed for the last 21 years, were finally opened to reveal a fully formed vocalist by the name of Bear.
Make of that what you will, but know this: The band didn’t miss a beat and within a month they had picked up where they left of, stepping out into the unknown as a five piece, where they remain ‘till this day.
That is the way of Mordhau - and our intent is to bring a noise that will have heads banging, guts churning and faces gurning!