Originally a member of Emperor, Håvard Ellefsen has enjoyed a long and varied career that has taken him far beyond his roots in early-’90s black metal. Under the alias Mortiis (which also doubles as the band name), Ellefsen combines his love of foreboding experimental music with a passion for shock-rock theatrics, including prosthetics that transform him into a goblin-like creature. The Norwegian artist, born in 1975, reinvents Mortiis in style and personnel every few years. If the project’s earliest output, including the 1994 cult classic Ånden som Gjorde Opprør, helped launched dungeon synth, then 2001’s The Smell of Rain and 2004’s The Grudge veer between surprisingly danceable industrial and dystopian headbanger anthems. Add to that releases like 2020’s Throe, a slab of abrasive electronic music, and it is clear that Ellefsen is anything but predictable.