Urgehal - Aeons in Sodom

Urgehal

Aeons in Sodom

by Marcos "Big Daddy" Garcia at 02 March 2016, 7:23 PM

One legendary band from Norwegian Black Metal underground is the trio URGEHAL. For more than 20 years, they are still fighting, still recording albums and making their part to keep the same spirit from the early age of the style on their country alive. And now they return with "Aeons in Sodom", even after the tragic loss of the guitarist Trondr Nefas in 2012 (but there are parts of him playing his guitar on this album).

What you'll find here is the same essence you can find on bands like DARKTHRONE, MAYHEM and GORGOROTH, the same nasty and raw music that changed the Metal scene from 1994 on. Here you will find the Norwegian Black Metal in its purest form, but not without talent or personality. The band is active for so much time to show the cards they have in hand, so be prepared for some nasty songs and some coldness coming from their work.

The sound quality, of course, is raw and nasty, but not to the point we couldn't understand the songs and their arrangements. But honestly, if you're looking for some kind of super production on a Black Metal album, I must tell you to awake. This kind of sound is a particularity of Black Metal, as all Metal styles has their particular ways to be recorded. And as I wrote above, you'll understand clearly what they are playing.

But the biggest surprise on "Aeons in Sodom" is the presence of different vocalists in each song. Nocturno Culto (from DARKTHRONE on "The Iron Children"), M. Sorgar (from BLOODSWORN and ENDEZZMA doing the vocals on "Blood of the Legion"), Hoest (from TAAKE, singing on "The Sulphur Black Haze"), Mannevond (from KOLDBRANN, DJEVEL and NETTLECARRIER on vocals on "Lord of Horns" and bass guitar on "Twisted Mass of Burnt Decay"), Niklas Kvarforth (from SHINING and Skitliv doing the vocals on "Norwegian Blood and Crystal Lakes"), Sorath Northgrove (from ESWIEL, HAGL, OKKULTIST and VULTURE LORD singing on "Thy Daemon Incarnate"), Nattefrost (from CARPATHIAN FOREST, appearing on "Endertid"), Nag (from TSJUDER and KRYPT, on "Psychedelic Evil"), Bay Cortez       (from SADISTIC INTENT, singing and playing bass guitar on "Funeral Rites"), and R. M. (from ANGST SKVADRON on  vocals on "Twisted Mass of Burnt Decay").  And there are other musicians on the album as well, but you can find them on the information of the album.

Best moments:

"The Iron Children" and its nasty riffs and great vocals (Nocturno Culto should sing in this way again), the strike of evil riffs heard on "Blood of the Legion", the bitter and slower "The Sulphur Black Haze", the excellent "Norwegian Blood and Crystal Lakes" (these nasty and raw riffs, along with a slow paced rhythmic kitchen, is really wonderful!), and the half paced speed of "Endetid" (the vocals are excellent, as some very good changes on tempos). But their personalized version for SEPULTURA's "Funeral Rites" (from their Death Metal era, of "Morbid Visions" album) and AUTOPSY's "Twisted Mass of Burnt Decay" are excellent as well. These are their best songs, besides the entire album is pretty good.

Hear it, and buy it!

Originality: 8
Songwriting: 9
Memorability: 8
Production: 7