Melody is possibly one of the key things that makes music so infectious as a whole as even the simplest riff or catchy rhythm can latch itself onto your brain, and proceed to infect you for days, weeks, or even months on end. It’s something that we definitely see in metal, but not in black metal all that much. It tends to stay in the background if it’s ever there while some acts bring it to the foreground and others find a middle ground. Uhrilahja is one that finds a solid middle ground and it truly allows their debut album to flourish.

If you’re even the slightest bit familiar with black metal then you know it’s a genre of chaos whether it be the kind that’s completely left alone to rampage all over the shop or a more guided chaos where the band in question puts focus on the energy in certain parts to really drive home what they’re going for. It’s easy to get the groundwork going for the latter, but aptly utilizing it is another story as not many bands can bring melody to black metal successfully. Uhrilahja didn’t have much before their upcoming debut, “En Fördärvad Värld”, other than a pair of demos, but with these eleven tracks, the band really shows just exactly what they’re fucking made of. Packing with songs split amongst three different languages, “En Fördärvad Värld” really shows the emotional significance behind what Uhrilahja is going for and it goes perfectly hand-in-hand with their ferocious power. Where this band introduces a delicious display of melody they react to it with another wave of flame as Uhrilahja really shows that they know how to work up a good riff and allow itself to mature as the song goes along, hone its fury, allow it to show off its power, and then properly end itself in a way that leaves you satisfied but wanting more. That’s what “En Fördärvad Värld” does more than anything: leaves you wanting more while still remaining satisfying to the very end. That’s something we don’t get often enough, and Uhrilahja makes it look fucking easy.

As their vicious but honed style of black metal is infectious to the very end, it’s the whole body of work that is “En Fördärvad Värld” that shows this band has got what it takes to become a new underground sensation amongst the blakc metal scene. All Uhrilahja has to do is to continue to impress, and I’ve nothing but confidence in their abilities.

“En Fördärvad Värld” releases on April 30th via Wolfspell Records!

LIKE Uhrilahja on Facebook here.