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Urgehal

Arma Christi

No Colours Records, 1997

Review by Brett Benzie


Another quality release of grim blackmetal from No Colours Records, home of such bands as Veles, Graveland and Forgotten Woods (not to mention former signees Dimmu Borgir), Urgehal can be adequately described as a mating of Darkthrone's relentless brutality with Hellhammer/early-Celtic-Frost riffing and... naivety, I guess.

Whereas the aforementioned influences rely upon nuclear powerchords and trebly harmony respectively, Urgehal is much more drum/bass driven than either of them. Not suprising, since drums and rhythm guitar are performed by the same member, Ensifer. Chron's bass guitar sits perfectly over the drum tracks, and the guitars are sparsely spread over the mix, peppered with the odd burst of Venom-ish solo guitar.

I'm not going to bother with the track by track dissection... Just imaging early BM-era Darkthrone, playing Hellhammer songs. That describes them better than any words can. The layout is equally, typically blackmetal; everything in black and white. The band all wear corpsepaint, snarl, and shake their BowieKnifeOfDoom at the camera man...

Yes folks, this is quite generic... But when its done with such passion, such aggression, such... naivety! ... It's hard not to adore.

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