Normally, the evolution of any musician would see them go forward rather than backwards. It's through trials and challenges of many different sorts that can see a musician's sound change over time to become quite a honed beast that is not to be underestimated for so much as a moment, but it can also be the case that reversion can unlock something within one's mind. Such was what plagued the mastermind of the renowned Mork who sought another outlet in his journey through the realms of black metal. Doing far more than just returning to his roots reminiscent of Mork's first album, it's with this new project that we see a new side to an already immensely accomplished artist.
It's always fascinating to see an artist like this try their hand at something new even if it is still very similar in many ways as it can really show us what else they're capable of which is a sight we've seen plenty of times throughout the underground in recent times, but scenarios like what we have here with Udåd simply cannot be denied. A far rawer and more deconstructed version of what we've come to know in Mork, Udåd still very much so has that terrific brand of darkness that we can all latch onto with the riffs and rhythms to match, but it's in every way that Udåd delivers a performance that feels colder and far more primitive in its approach. This is a more atmospheric endeavor that fortunately knows how to not get lost in its own wanderings, yet it's through the particularly painful approach to the vocals that Eriksen uses throughout the album that you can really feel the torture and the primal nature of album in excruciating detail to the point that you cannot help but be utterly compelled by the power with which Udåd wields in the entirety of these eight testaments of unforgiving darkness. Seductive in its songwriting and more than capable of tapping into a primeval black metal tone the likes of which many seek to channel with incredibly few able to come even close to achieving, this debut album is surely just the start of another magnificent path through the veil of black metal with it already living up to the same standards as its counterpart.
To simply compare Udåd to Mork would be to do a great disservice to what's achieved in this album even if it is immeasurably easy and something that comes almost natural, but what Eriksen has done with Udåd deserves to be seen as its own beast for what it is and what it is cannot be denied! This is the black metal that crawls along the very floor of the underground with not so much as an inkling at that bastard light from above to pollute the greatness of what we're working with here. "Udåd" is just the beginning, and I've no doubt that we will be hearing much more from this project in the years to come.
"Udåd" releases on March 15th via Peaceville Records!
PRE-ORDER "Udåd" on Bandcamp here.
FOLLOW Udåd on Instagram here.
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