German one-man black metal band Urfeind, which is run by unknown entity Skadwaz, put out its third release in January this year. With two full-length album under its belt, this one is an EP with 4 songs and duration of almost 21 minutes.

Skadwaz is practising anti-cosmic thursian religion, where pre-Christian Nordic mythologies' giants (þursar), who are adversaries of cosmic gods and life, are worshiped. This surely is not an outlandish topic for lyricism among black metal bands.

So, it comes without any surprise, that Urfeind do sound Norwegian style black metal. Cold and harsh tremolo riffing is accompanied by heavier guitar, so there's immediate power to the guitar work. The drums fluctuate between skank, double kick drumming and many ther metal music beats, and each in several varieties. The bass guitar brings in more boom, and is also well audible in the mix; it doesn't slavishly follow guitar, but is at times doing its own thing, a bit like Enslaved often uses it. The harsh tremolo picking, sometimes discordant, is accompanied by easier-to-follow, semi-melodic riffing, which certainly increases majesty in the music. The older releases had rather reverbing sound, but this is different, as there's just slight spacey echoing, and more attacking and precise, tangible sonical scape. The vocals are low-register distorted and croaking voice articulation, fully suited with the music.

As mentioned, this sounds thoroughly Norwegian, and this does not carry any Slavic influences like the older releases did. The opener is absolutely alluring yet snithy flight in barren cosmos. 'Void', despite its title, places a listener to frozen fjords of Norway; the song has heavy Windir vibes to it, folkish and militant with its constant double bass drum foot. The next song continues ith similar style, but contains a very airy calmer section and beautifully depressed atmosphere towards its end. Talking about ends; the songs just end without any real conclusion, and that's my only grievance about them. They should have been melded together despite they basically fit together, but the endings are just abrupt and unpolished. Anyway, the closer 'Inner Rampage' raises from gloominess with belligerence and foreboding volition.

'Wraiþaz' is quite different to previous Urfeind releases, but still a very much worthwhile extended play for those who seek no-nonsense (no synthesizers, no post-anything, no mercy) Norwegian style black metal.

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
09/28/2021 21:47