Umbrtka - Kovový háj (2010)

The previous album of the prolific Umbrtka, Úplná Demontáž Lidstva was a journey through societal and urban decay, which made use of extra-traditional instrumentation and industrial noise to produce a curious and unique result. The sound was not entirely distanced from Lord Morbivad's better known sewer black band Stíny Plamenù, but it was more abstract and ruefully more interesting. So I am quite surprised, then, that the 15th Umbrtka album has arrived in the form of a mellower offering with a lot more emphasis on acoustic folk music...and not bad, at that. But when a band is releasing albums as often as this one, I guess it doesn't hurt to change up the formula every now and then, and Umbrtka have certainly made such rapid deviations in the past.

For those worried, fear not, because there are still plenty of metal passages on Kovový háj, and when they appear, they are likewise well furbished. With 7 tracks at 55 minutes, there are a few here which are quite hefty in length, and not always supportive of their vast borders, but all possessive of at least some degree of charm. I was immediately taken in with the opener "Chrám těla (Temple of Flesh)", an immersive, acoustic experience which plays out like an overcast day in some tranquil glade, near the flow of water or an edifice of rock, all hinting at deeper mysteries of the world below as you study them. I hate to use the term 'zen' to describe its effects, but that was the ultimate result. The 9 minute title track ("Metal Grove") benefits from layered, soothing vocals and spikes of electric notes that flow above the twinkle of the cleaner guitars and the fervent, infectious swells...this is simply an amazing song, one of the best on the album and wholly recommended for its natural, psychedelic interlacing. "Slovany" may deceive one into thinking its another folk track, but it erupts into an amazing, atmospheric black metal laden in dense melodies and vibrous atmosphere.

For other aggressive fare, seek "Rodina" with its primal black/doom leanings that work in tandem with its flowing streams of acoustic guitar and sombering melodies. "Onen večer (That Evening)" is perhaps the most bizarre of the compositions, with a myriad of vocals that range from eerie black rasping depths to a freaky folk side. Granted, it's almost 15 minutes long, and could very well have been a number of separate tracks, but there just might be enough here to compel the listener without raining tedium upon him. Also included are the elegaic, sombering "Na lásku (For Love)" with its ringing, excellent guitars that feel like a funeral march in a still photo, and the rambling, twangy "Vrby (Family)" with a memorable pattern of guitars.

I was a little taken aback by the album, not expecting much more than another odd cityscape, but Umbrtka successfully translate themselves into a more rustic environment, and write some killer folk/ambient/black metal that should appeal to any with an open mind who can stomach the native Czech tongue. Hardly a stumbling block when the reward is as worthwhile as this. Impressive.

Highlights: Kovový háj, Na lásku, Vrby

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.umbrtka.com/

Umbrtka - Úplná Demontáž Lidstva (2009)

You may well be familiar with the Czech sewer black metal band Stíny Plamenù, but what of the prolific Umbrtka? Having released 14 albums since the turn of the century, you could argue that this was the most prolific project of Lord Morbivad. While Stíny Plamenù explores the world beneath the pavement of infested European streets, Umbrtka celebrates the machinery of our decay. And it does so through a series of rather strange concept albums. On the surface, they're pure, brutal black metal, but there is a level of engagement and atmosphere you won't hear in your garden variety grimness. They call this 'gray metal'.

Úplná Demontáž Lidstva creates thick passages of streaming, vile chords over rapid fire drum programming. Morbivad's painful vocals echo their posthumous poetry above the conjured imagery of industrial decay. If you're a fan of the Czech spin on gruff black vocals (i.e. Root, Master's Hammer, etc) you'll find a lot to like about this man's style and accent. There are some pretty straightforward black metal numbers like "Špinavá lávka" and the razor honed "Umbrtka Kat", but I actually enjoy it when the band gets stranger. "Šedá v úle" (trans. "Grey in Beehive") opens with the feedback of screeching, grinding metal...and a saxophone...before immersing you into its creepy, goth/industrial overtones. "Dítě z popelnice" (trans. "Under the Flag of Smoke") alternates intense blasting with playful, bass-driven spurts of oddness, ambience and acoustics. "Přátelé" is an excellent track, slower and ominous, industrial in parts, but flourished with progressive black metal: melancholic leads and droning vitriol. Possibly my favorite here.

It's clear Lord Morbivad and the musicians he surrounds himself with are hell bent on a little creativity, whether here or his other projects. Úplná Demontáž Lidstva is no masterpiece, but it's certainly captivating and a breath of fresh air. If you're a fan of Stíny Plamenù or perhaps the stranger Norwegian bands like Solefald, Ulver, Manes and Dodheimsgard, you would do well to check this album out. I found it inspiring enough to try and mine the band's extensive backlog, the interesting concepts they have produced.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/umbrtka