Review Summary: It’s Satan loving, in your face raspy black metal.
Hailing from Norway, Urgehal specialise in unrelenting black metal, face paint and body spikes; typical of Norway’s black metal scene in the early to mid nineties. At live performances guitarist Enzifer can even be seen wearing face spikes. More importantly the music they present isn’t quite as tasteless. Tracks are crafted not only to blast their way into a listener’s subconscious but also remain firmly rooted to the forefront of the listeners mind. Tracks blast, groove, and ring resonating with a murky, yet professional production. Giving life to this done and done before sound.
Through Thick Fog Till Death shows a band at the top of their sound, well practiced and comfortable with a consistent approach to their musical offerings.
Through Thick Fog Till Death incorporates everything listeners would expect from a Norwegian black metal band; namely in blast beats, shrieked mid high vocals and the tremolo and chug work of the guitars. This does not however create a tiresome listen. Rather the blast beats feed off the riffing and the shrieks and guttural screams are layered over the main beats of any particular phrase creating a punchy rhythmic effect, showing off Urgehal’s ability to create intelligent tracks and further reinforce the listeners attention on
Through Thick Fog Till Death. It should be noted that diversity, for the most part is few and far between. After a while or even after repeated listens, riffs mesh together and the similarity of drum beats do little to dissuade this effect. Positively however, the lead work (when heard) adds a sense of musical technicality that is not only refreshing on the ears of the listener but also showcases Enzifer’s talents as a guitarist, showing that he does more than just pound out the same riffs over and over again. Rather the dissonant chording and tremolo picking reinforce Urgehal’s Satanist themes (see track titles).
First released with a mere 500 copies
Through Thick Fog Till Death through Agonia Records, (the album itself has now become banned in Germany) it was later re-released with a few live tracks that despite their low production values don’t sound out of place on the record and further add to the listener enjoyment where minus the bass listeners will be able to hear every riff, scream and beat. Unfortunately, this turns a rather long listen into an even longer one where the attention of the listener already begins to wane.
Overall, there’s not too much to say about Urgehal’s
Through Thick Fog Till Death. It is a solid albeit repetitive record that represents much of the same track to track; plagued by a lacking diversity in its tracks. The albums consistency is both a positive and a negative, it allows for a steady reception from fans and other listeners but limits the amount of growth the album could have had over repeated listens.
Through Thick Fog Till Death doesn’t grow or expand, there’s definitely nothing groundbreaking about the music. Urgehal’s
Through Thick Fog Till Death is simply what it is. No frills no let up, no remorse this album was not made to sweep anyone off their feet but rather pummel them into the ground.
