Urfeind – Dau​þ​alaikaz Review

I have a love-hate relationship with black metal. Sometimes it’s exactly the level of sheer anger and desperation I crave, while other times it’s edgy nonsense. Yet without fail I am continuously drawn to this fascinating genre of the extreme metal scene. Today on the chopping block: Urfeind, with third album Dau​þ​alaikaz. Urfeind are new to me, yet I try to approach any new thing with an open mind, and I can appreciate a good slab of pagan black metal, so long as it’s done correctly. Is this my new obsession, or is Dau​þ​alaikaz yet another of the countless black metal albums not worthy of your time and attention? 

Urfeind aren’t one to faff about with meaningless intros, as Dau​þ​alaikaz comes out of the gate swinging with the first track “Thorns of Madness.” A flurry of trem-picked riffs and furious blasts await, and I can appreciate a band who forgoes the now-typical intro on a black metal record. The nine songs on Dau​þ​alaikaz are all very competent, meat-and-taters black metal. There’s not a lot of straying outside the comfort zone of second wave worship, and there’s no reinventing the wheel. If you tried to pinpoint what makes a black metal record black metal, Dau​þ​alaikaz would be the poster child for that. It’s refreshing to listen to a no-frills black metal record every now and again and get back to basics. Sure, I might prefer something that has a little more weirdness such as Imperial Triumphant or a lot more nightmarish hell noises like Hasard, but there’s a certain charm that can’t be replicated by those bands that Urfeind possesses. This is pure, trve kvlt black metal, like it or hate it. And while there are highs on Dau​þ​alaikaz, such as “The Fallen”, standard isn’t enough.

I appreciate what Urfeind try to do. It seems as if every black metal band tries to copy one another nowadays, and while that sentiment can’t be ignored on Dau​þ​alaikaz, Urfeind still bring a layer of freshness to their tried-and-true sound. That being said, I can’t see myself reaching for Dau​þ​alaikaz more than once in a blue moon. I like no-frills black metal, but I also crave something that sticks, and while the riffs, evil atmosphere, and ice-ridden blasts are omnipresent, Urfeind lack that special sauce to keep me coming back for more and more. Dau​þ​alaikaz is still worth a spin or two, though, and if you prefer your black metal pure, this will resonate. As for me, I’d much rather listen to something else.