“And The Mountains Weep” by Uburen is an epic and powerful Black Metal offering that deserves some attention. Stepping outside of the stereotypical themes of Black Metal, “And The Mountains Weep” gives us a fresh look into the genre, with tales of the Old Gods of Scandinavia, Valhalla, Valkyries and a bit of history. Norse themes and Viking tales are blended deep into this AOTY contender.
Vocally, this records more than holds it own against the greats of the genre. Vile and Depraved screams fill the mix and adds to the overall atmosphere of this killer release. From scratchy cleans, echoed spoken chants, to all out dark and raspy screams, this album shows a good variety for the listener to enjoy. The guitars are performed masterfully, also showing a good range of talent and execution. Mid tempo riffs pour onto slowed near doom-like sections before unleashing the power of Asgard and descending into all out blistering tremolo runs. I found the tone of the guitars to be very enjoyable, more than enough gain to add dissonance, yet clarity of the notes throughout each chord. A good balance of modern clarity and production, and that good old fashioned raw feeling. The drums do a good job of filling the mix out and keeping the base, they were performed well. If you may be looking for something a bit different, while holding many of the values of traditional Black Metal, perhaps give Uburen’s new album “ And The Mountains Weep” a shot, I do think you will all enjoy it as I do! (Azag Galla)
