Urgehal - Death Is Complete

 

URGEHAL - Death Is Complete (FOLTER Records - EP 2012)

There are several bands, whose releases I tend to buy blindly, without even pre-checking if the new release will be any good, keeping the faith and hope that the high quality from the previous releases is intact and that once more I’ll get crushed by the music. Urgehal is definitely one of such bands. I own all their full length albums on vinyl plus the killer “Eternal Eclipse” compilation LP and “Rise of the Monument” demo compilation picture LP. One of my favourites Urgehal releases will definitely be the awesome “Demonrape” EP with a couple of excellent tracks. “Death is Complete” is another 7” single from this Norwegian horde and I hope that I don’t need to convince you that the music from it is just as good as any of the previous recordings of Urgehal. With two new, exclusive songs, “Death is Complete” is just a necessary addition to every collection of this band.

I don’t know if I really have to describe the music of Urgehal. It’s almost like if someone didn’t know what Darkthrone plays and wanted me to write what they’re like! Urgehal is a traditional, Norwegian black metal band and yes, definitely Darkthrone have had a huge impact on their style. And that includes also some of the recent Darkthrone releases (even that black’n’roll stuff or however you’ll call it) like from “The Cult is Alive” and “Sardonic Wrath” LPs. Hell, just listen to “Beyond the Nightmare” and the opening riffing from this song and you’ll know what I mean. But the music from “Death is Complete” is excellent. I love the riffs, the cold, freezing atmosphere of these sounds and that ugly, raw production… Man, the booklet says that this EP was recorded in 20 minutes, what means that Urgehal did everything in one or two takes, playing the whole thing 100 % live. You can definitely hear it, but I like the fact that the sound, even if raw and obscure, is still quite good, in the way that you can hear every instrument. The bass is well audible, so are the drums and I love the guitars’ tone, not to mention those killer, raspy vocals of Trondr Nefas. From the two songs I think I like the title one more, but to be honest, both are great and picking one is just pointless. Both are killer black metal tunes and I have no doubt that with such music Urgehal has fully gained the cult status.

Sadly “Death is Complete” is also the last release with Trondr Nefas who passed away this year. I sincerely don’t have a clue whether Enzifer with rest of the band will carry on playing under this moniker – and I don’t wanna make an opinion on that, before any decisions and recordings will be made – but I can only pay may respect for Nefas and his band for years on dedication to the black metal and the great legacy, which he left, including this amazing EP. Definitely you must get a copy, before it’s too late!

Final rate: 90/100