Since 2013, Oregonian black metal trio Urzeit has been creating some of the most depraved sounds to come out of the American underground in recent memory. They create noisy, punky black metal without fully giving way to elements of harsh noise or outright punk rock. The utilization of disparate sounds in a pure black metal form sees this band channeling its aggression in a focused and innovative way, allowing Anmoksha, their proper debut, to feel just as fresh and urgent as the series of demos (and 2014 split with Akatharsia) that preceded it. While Urzeit's members are involved in other fresh and challenging acts like Triumvir Foul and Mizmor, the approach here stands apart from their other works and showcases the creativity of a diverse, hungry group of individuals.With squealing feedback carving its way in, Urzeit commands the attention of listeners from the very first moments of "Imnagas." While the album has its shifts in speed and mood, subtlety is not part of Urzeit's approach, with relentless drums and fiery bass guiding the band's wide-eyed ferocity along. There's a frantic energy in these songs, yet the guitar carries a hauntingly psychedelic tone that separates Anmoksha from standard black-punk fare. Urzeit has long been distancing itself from the sea of Bone Awl clones that populate this side of black metal, but with this LP they establish themselves as pioneers in a genre that is often barren with rehash. For every stripped down rhythm, there are five layers of static and vocals to flesh these compositions out in a monstrous way. From the deliberate, ominous slowing in "Nascphanin" to the triumphant war march of songs like "Autmomus," Urzeit proves it is quite capable of controlling atmosphere without sacrificing strength.Stream Anmoksha in full below and pre-order a copy on cassette or vinyl from Vrasubatlat or from Mizmor (both of which are sources directly related to the band) in anticipation of its official release on October 10.
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Ben Handelman is repping black metal and brews on Twitter.