This is the debut album from Norwegian solo black metal act Udåd.
Brought to us by the artist behind Mork, Udåd contains 47 minutes of raw, old-school black metal. Udåd contains primal blackened energies that are channelled directly from the early 90s, but given a creative twist of the knife by the artist’s keen vision.
Udåd’s atavistic approach is grim and raw. Steeped in esoteric dark atmosphere, the artist has crafted music that feels like it has been unearthed from a forgotten graveyard somewhere. The album seethes with this ancient presence, a haunting of past nightmares that have been dragged into 2024 and bent to the will of Udåd‘s creator. Pressed into service of the dark arts once more, they act as grim muse to this album, allowing it to reach backwards into time for that elusive spark of creativity that drives this primitive form of frozen black metal.
The use of melody is strong, both as obscure accents and striking focal points. These melodies are entwined with a selection of affecting riffs that bring every song to dark life. The vocals are different to those of Mork; harsh screams that sound as if they have shredded the artist’s throat.
This is not an album of aggression, but rather a mood-based one that allows the music to ensnare its victims in icy webs that draw them ever further into the heart of Udåd’s world. Cold and mysterious, the songs are entrancing in their delivery, and the songwriting catchier and more memorable than you might expect. This may be an old, well-worn style, but the artist has made it his own.
The essence of Udåd is one that’s simple, yet effective. Stripped back to the original building blocks of the style, (plus a notable bass presence), the artist uses these to build a collection of tracks that shine with eerie lustre. It’s a relatively diverse record too, (within its stylistic framework), even though it primarily sticks to a slow or mid-paced execution. Across its running time Udåd recalls a range of black metal acts as it unfolds, such as Darkthrone, Burzum, Xasthur, Mutiilation, and Ulver.
Udåd is an album that punches above its weight. It’s a record that’s not only a faithful representation of old-school black metal, but that manages to successfully say something of its own within this, which is no mean feat. If you’re an adherent of the blackened arts, then I urge you to spend some time experiencing the sinister joys of Udåd.
Wonderbox Metal 