Review Summary: Selling black metal for folk fans.
We have seen black metal bands transition into dark folk before (just remember Ulver's legendary
Kveldssanger). However, it would be inaccurate to say that the American band, Uada, has simply repeated this idea. Instead, we are witnessing an interesting musical experiment - or perhaps something even more significant. According to the band, the idea of creating a puritanical and ritualistic form of music, one that could also be performed on cello or violin, took root as early as 2014, drawing from their own musical inspirations. And now, in 2026, the album
Interwoven has seen the light of day…
Conceptually, this release is also quite unusual. While it features covers (four reinterpretations of their own songs, as well as one Rome and one Nirvana cover), it still stands as a serious musical product. Why? Because Uada has, until now, operated exclusively within the black metal genre, so the creation of an entirely dark folk album was a bold and exciting move.
Analyzing the final result,
Interwoven strikes me as a divisive work. Firstly, the sharp genre shift might unsettle some fans. On the other hand, releases consisting solely of covers by other bands (such as Dimmu Borgir’s
Inspiratio Profanus)... to put it delicately, often have been underwhelming in the past. So, I initially approached
Interwoven with skepticism - but in my opinion, the final result is definitely positive.
The instrumental side of
Interwoven (acoustic guitar, bass, cello, and simple percussions) sounds magnificent and creates a highly atmospheric experience for most of the performed tracks! We’ve also heard before how beautiful a black metal song can be if reimagined as folk music (a great example is the acoustic version of “Nattestid Ser Porten Vid I” from Taake’s 2021 compilation album,
Avvik). So, perhaps it’s no surprise that tracks like “Devoid of Light” and “The Purging Fire” have been successfully transformed into gorgeous folk pieces. Also, the rebirth of these two songs might be considered the peaks of the album - along with the sole Nirvana cover, which, in my view, was a brilliant choice. It may even surpass the original in terms of atmosphere! However, it’s interesting to witness that another track, “The Dark (Winter)”, which was already one of their weaker songs in its original form, remains somewhat flat in its reworked version as well.
This leads me to the album’s most divisive element: Jake Superchi’s vocals. I’m not entirely convinced that his often gothic-tinged, quite The 69 Eyes-esque singing style was the best choice for the album as a whole. Over time, it can become a bit tiresome - at the very least, I could have imagined featuring a guest vocalist with a different tone, or a bit more variety. That said, the smaller choral sections and whispered parts are excellent elements, and the overall impression might have been stronger if these had been used more frequently. (Or, pushing it to the extremities: I could even have imagined a few screams and growls too.)
In summary,
Interwoven is a beautifully atmospheric and instrumentally stunning release, though its shine is slightly dimmed by the divisive nature of some of its vocal choices. Fans of dark folk will likely find it compelling, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to all metal fans.
