The clear union between black metal and any number of folk inspirations is nothing new to our ears. We’ve seen plenty of acts come around trying their hand at bringing different veins of folklore to life through all sorts of black metal splendor that leaves one in a world that cannot be likened to much else throughout the vast underground. Whether it’s names like Downfall of Nur, Selvans, Belore, Panopticon, or any of many others, there’s always loads to unpack in any given year when black metal crosses over into this mystical realm where the very rules of our reality fade immediately. Harnessing their past experience to make for a truly compelling new album, Ulvik’s forthcoming piece is more than worthy of being hailed amongst this styles most enchanting and otherworldly.

Normally, it’s not terribly hard to try and pinpoint where the folk inspiration comes from with it being clear in a band’s instrumentation, name, approach, or anything else of the sort giving us some sort of insight. For the life of me, I cannot do that with what Ulvik has put forth here, and I cannot helped but feel as though that only elevates the band’s unique sense of mysticism. As the band is able to effortlessly drift back and forth between its powerful brand of black metal and utterly captivating neofolk, “Last Rites | Dire Omens” quickly transforms itself into a dominating performance that rends the spirit from the flesh in such a way that is immensely violent yet gorgeous in the most natural and cyclical sense. Offering far more than a mere flute or acoustic passage amongst a vast labyrinth of black metal, Ulvik is on a constant crusade to do justice for the last gasps of a dying world. “Last Rites | Dire Omens” is always keeping the listener on guard and guessing what precisely is to come next with each track vastly different than the last with the full repertoire of Ulvik’s capabilities on full display throughout these nine tracks. Full of splendor that can only come from the rawest sections of the spirit world, Ulvik surpasses expectations at every turn to astound and confound the listener again and again.

Works like this are few and far between with there not being many acts at all that can tap into what both of these styles are able to bring forward, balance them, and put them forth into one cohesive effort that does not leave one with a sense of disappointment. Rather, “Last Rites | Dire Omens” fills the heart with sorrow but also a sense of wanderlust the likes of which only this breed of underground avant-garde metal that’s as off-putting as it is captivating. From the first minute, Ulvik is no less than spellbinding.

“Last Rites | Dire Omens” releases on May 24th via Avantgarde Music!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Last Rites | Dire Omens” on Bandcamp here, or via YouTube below.

LIKE Ulvik on Facebook here.