Udånde is back with its second album.
After an acclaimed debut release last year, Slovakia-based Danish musician Rasmus Ejlersen (guitar/vocals/bass) announces Slow Death-A Celebration of Self-Hatred on Vendetta Records.
He is helped by drummer Nicko « Lord Acheron » Veres (AIN, Darktimes).
The album starts with the melancholic introduction of I’m Not a Pessimist, I’m a Realist, of which abrasive and Old School Black Metal will crush us to pour us a flood of darkness completed by massive cavernous vocals. The very regular sound easily hypnotizes us, letting Who Got Diagnosed Years Later come to cut the rhythmic to offer us a moment of respite before letting the saturation blaze again. The wave of riffs coupled with aggressive drum patterns progresses until it fades away and Denied All Sense and Reason takes over with a quite haunting sound which welcomes some sharp leads and a heady bass. The track’s slowness perfectly fits the oppressive atmosphere, just like I Mean, Who am I to Blackout and its grim introduction which drives us to a frantic rhythmic. Dissonant leads bring the track an ethereal dimension, always led by impressive vocals which will only allow us to catch our breath with We Should Welcome the Suffering, and its sweet first notes. Even when the saturated sound resurfaces and accelerates, we feel this comforting and heady quietness which will end with Remember Not to Praise the False King, the last track, which will make the haunting sounds respawn, coupled with heavy vocals. In the middle of the track, ritualistic hits walk with some soft notes, then the fury explodes again to drive us to that final strike.
Udånde‘s sound is raw and oppressive. Although still young, the project is built on the roots of Old School and cold Black Metal, making Slow Death-A Celebration of Self-Hatred a real treasure for genre’s fans.
90/100