Info
- Band(s): Uhritulet
- Label(s): Purity Through Fire
- Release Format(s): CD
- Release Year: 2023
- Review Date: December 19, 2023
- Author(s): VincentP
Even though Uhritulet hails from Finland, the band consisting of sole member VP doesn’t exactly sound like your run of the mill Finnish act. Perhaps the bareboned midtempo basis of groove along with the snarling vocals sound somewhat familiar, and the raw distorted guitar sound fits with the Finnish Black Metal aesthetics, but the overall atmosphere is quite different. Rather than one of melancholy, the mood on the band’s self-titled debut is more upbeat and elated, perhaps harkening to something like Sielunvihollinen but in a much less melodic manner. There is also a strong dose of Pagan and perhaps even Folk influences on ‘Uhritulet’, fitting with a band name that translates to something along the lines of Sacrificial Fires. While mostly focusing on a mid tempo, there are some changes of pace such as towards the end of ‘Kataon’ that keep things interesting. Altogether, the simple basis of mid tempo rocking Black Metal with a tone of upbeat melody is entertaining and well performed, but doesn’t really lift off until ‘Yhtenä Heistä’.
In this fifth track, the accompanying keyboards elevate the song to new levels. The almost poppy keys, catchy melody and shifting tonality of the main melodies belong to the best the album has to offer, and the pace change towards the end serves as the icing on the cake. These keyboards also come back in the final track ‘Yön Soihduissa’ albeit more in the form of an organ, and certainly give a bit of extra life to a track that is otherwise more focused on a slower and somewhat drearier atmosphere. Not nearly as good as the preceding track, but certainly a good addition to the sound of the band.
I’m somewhat torn when it comes to ‘Uhritulet’. On one hand I quite appreciate that Uhritulet sounds different than most other bands, and ‘Yhtenä Heistä’ is nothing short of a fantastic track. But some catchy riffs aside, ultimately it lacks a bit of that wow factor to make it stand out between all the other solid but not sensational Black Metal releases.
