Being from Norway I simply can`t escape those blackened musical roots and it is with that in mind I will be bringing you this review of the most wretched of sounds.
Ultra Silvam is a band from Malmö, Sweden who are amongst the very few who has managed to get black metal right. Free from simple and often childish nonsense these guys are dead serious about their work and it shows.
Their debut album “The Spearwound Salvation” graced us with its presence in march of this year and needs to be talked about.
The simple yet oh so effective artwork serves as a warning and a sign of what you`ll find inside.
The minimalistic quite DIY look to the art alone is reason enough to pick up this album.
We start off with the albums title track and it wastes no time going straight into black metal madness, ponding drums, scorching guitars and diabolical vocals right out the gate.
From the very moment this album starts youre in for one hell of a ride, this is whats been missing from the BM scene and I`m overjoyed to find that this filth still breathes and spreads its disease to each and every man, woman and child who walks the earth.
I must also point out the lyrics, each track has wonderfully penned words, carefully crafted in praise of those dark abominable things from which this music sprung.
While I could comment on the fast paced , high pitched tremolo picking I must say the atmosphere surrounding this album is what makes it stand out so much.
After holding you down and bludgeoning you right in your face the first track ends and moves quickly unto the next who bears the swedish title “Ödesalens Uppenbarelse” translating to “Desolations Revelation”
A steady drum beat and thrashing guitars come running towards you hungry for blood.
Absololoute filth spews from the vocalist as he delivers the word of the Devil himself.
Do not misunderstand or underestimate this release for not having melody because it has, it has sinister tones, orchestrated with intention to hasten the end of days and it just might succeed.
I certainly wouldnt want to be the one standing in these guyspath.
The revelations slows its pace and seductively lures us further in to dig it`s long, sharp claws deep within us, penetrating our hearts and tearing our souls asunder.
Third offering, “Birth Of A Mountain” keeps the fists coming towards us making us swallow teeth and spit blood.
If you cant feel the raw fucking passion behind this music then you might wanna check for a pulse. Heres a hint; You won`t have one.
There`s such a beautiful darkness to this track, the production of the album all around is right in that sweet spot and it brings out the best of these songs in a way others so called BM bands often miss all in the name of some bullshit crusade of Trve and Kvlt.
Well if you want a true cult then heres one for you and its name is Ultra Silvam.
Yet another swedish title “Förintelsens Andeväsen” “Destructions Spirits” jumps us from behind and drives it`s sharpened dagger in us , a short and sweet attack just under two minutes long that will surely send any headbanging maniacs to the hospital.
Cacophonous , chaotic. Malformed melodies of death and doom eclipses the sun and violently darkens everything.
Next up is “Wings Of Burial” starting off with more cacophony and a filthy groove for lack of a better term. that Satanic rebel yell cuts through and the fires spread, destroying anything and anyone that dares come near.
The echo of the lines “Drape my vision with ashes and blood
And defile my senses with ancient rot” perfectly describes what`s happening here. And we stand like frantic fanatics with fire in our hearts with open arms welcoming the funeral of the world.
“A Skull Full Of Stars” The title itself should give a hint as to the pure unfiltered insanity it contains.
Pounding drums and soaring guitars drenches heaven`s gate in blood as the Devils messenger delivers the gospel of decay.
A guitar section which is truly filled with the most fiery passion comes and goes and towards the middle and breaks us into thrash glory.
And thus we have reached the end and what we find there deep down in those black pits is “The First Wound” feedback of guitars quickly picked up to destroy along with drums that punch several holes in your heart mows you down and breaks into complete and utter destruction.
This is one of those releases within the scene which will surely stand the test of time and live on to achieve legendary status.
The track stops, leaving guitars to ring out for a few seconds before entering into a new phase. The drums in this section is something of Bathory level glory , the slow and steady beating and pounding of the skin.
We`re brought back up in pace and layered over the punching of drums the guitars swings and sways and grabs us by our throats before flinging us up against concrete walls covered in the sharpest rusty nails and leave us bleeding as they walk away celebrating the utter violence.
If anyone dares doubt the greatness of Ultra Silvam you may be worhty of execution.