Uonsket - “Forlatt” (Jems Label, 2022)

 

I did arrive late to this one… as I normally do with all recent releases. That being said, I quickly jumped into the subject matter and started feeding off the music. In a time and age where Black Metal musicians seem to be stuck in this loophole that insists that you must copy what the mate next to you did, it is always pleasant to see someone step outside the box and gift us this sort of work. First off, the lad deserves all my respect for going for that cover artwork, for not choosing an odd name to hide behind, and for the music, most of all for the music. 

The music he puts out is tremendous, in my modest opinion. With a little help from his mates, he developed this 6-song EP that carries so much essence, so much richness, so many layers of melody… his mates: Crying Orc (Kekht Arakh & Felvum) and Wanja Mamykin (Felvum & Mrtva Vod). So, as you can see, he does know who he should surround himself with in order to achieve quality Black Metal. Musically speaking, what attracts me the most are the melodies, sweet and delicate, that give basis to his music. Not an ounce of heaviness was lost during the process, and his more “romantic” approach ended up playing in his favor. He has the standard Black Metal vocal approach, the guitar leads the way to that structure that we are accustomed to, and the drums are minimalistic, but essential to the end result. The melodies provided but the guitars are differentiated, and a track like “Jeg Reiser Alene” is a good example of the twists-and-turns that the band provides for the songs.

As mentioned in the beginning, I am far from being informed on the current status of Black Metal as a whole. still stuck in the Past and reminiscing past classics, so I do not know what bands are in or out. Bands like Lamp of Murmur and Kekht Arakh, for example, seem to be adding plenty of value to the scene with their personal vision and opinion on how Black Metal should sound, and I tend to enjoy their approaches, mostly due to their more romanticized method of making music. And in the end that is the core of the matter: adding value without losing essence. I hear 90ies Norway in more than one of the songs, and maybe that is what attracts me so much to this release. One thing that I find quite interesting - and a positive aspect, of course - is that very rarely the structure remains the same of very long time; Richard and his mates give it a little spin, and there you go, a different structure to an already amazing tune.

Not very much to say, honestly. This is an amazing EP, one that should have been more publicized, and maybe it was, and I was just sleeping and missed it. Anyway, going to keep track of what they do next, because this is top-notch modern days Black Metal.

Uonsket Official Bandcamp

Jems Label

 

Sunnel - “Svatt as Kahl - Tusken Klammen Gras“ (Avgrundsklanger, 2021)

Initially recorded in 2017 and released in 2021, only a few days ago I came across this exquisite example of the quality of today’s Black Metal. Sunnel is a German project that has only one release under their belt… and that is it. I did not do a lot of research, to be honest; if it is not on Metal Archives then I am not going to search the web for info. I prefer to live without knowing, it makes it more mysterious.

 
“Rural Art - Rural Magic”, these are the artist’s words. You know that music, that album, that band, that is able to create such an atmosphere, that you are immediately transported to another place, a specific location? Plenty of times have I felt that and been in that “place”. Like most people, I look for music with which I can identify, music I can place in a specific location that ends up being my location. The idea of having music that projects a season of the year, a place, is something I look for in Black Metal. Sunnel, as stated, label - I dare say - their music as Rural Art and Rural Magic, and I can understand it. Norwegian bands of the 90ies, some of them at least, painted a picture of dense forests and harsh Winters, and I loved it as a kid, and still love it as a grown grumpy man! Sunnel has some of that magic, some of that atmosphere. It reminds me of Auld Ridge, not that these are twin entities, but that ability to create music we associate with a more rural existence.

 
I have always seen Black Metal more as a Nature conductor than a Satanic/Evil one, to be honest. Maybe that is why I can create a connection with the more atmospheric bands. Sunnel, never failing to be a hard Black Metal act, has those riffs, those details, those moments, filled with melody and old sounds that we love so much. The production is spot-on, in my opinion! Raw and Dusty if that makes sense. And the musicians - or musician - states that it was recorded out of improvisation! Well, a structure they have had, right? Nonetheless, what a beauty of an improvisation! The guitar riffs are tremendous, just tremendous. The vocals are buried, just the necessary so that you feel like they are coming from beyond the tomb… a tomb in an old rural village, of course. “De Storm Towedder” showcases that these lads know how to speed things up, but gladly they perform to go at mid-pace than full throttle.
 
I would never dare say that their music is melodic, per se, for we take the term “melodic” as weak; I, on the other hand, look at this melodic side of their music as the richness in their work. I have mentioned the production, which makes it sound harsh and old, but the melodies are delicate and almost atmospheric (not those modern atmospheric bands put together for hipsters). Harsh, dusty, rural, magnificent Black Metal.

Sunnel Official Bandcamp

Avgrundsklanger Instagram

Avgrundsklanger