Review: Urzah ‘The Scorching Gaze’
APF Records recently celebrated their seventh year of existence and with albums from the likes of Barbarian, Swamp Coffin and Torso on the slate for 2024, Andrew Field’s love letter to the extreme and dirty riff continues to rack up an impressive catalogue that can already boast Desert Storm, Under, The Hyena Kill and Wasted Death to name but a few.
Joining this impressive list are relative newcomers, Bristol, UK’s sludge metal, post/progressive quartet Urzah (originating from Arabic meaning Power).
Having formed just before 2020, the band endured a rocky start to life but out of hardship, the band emerged as a hard-hitting act that have displayed their skills on the live stage across the south of the UK, supporting Bongzilla on their second show and reaching the grand finale of Bloodstock’s Metal 2 The Masses.
Despite this youthful tenure, the band display a stunning maturity in their songwriting on their debut full-length, The Scorching Gaze, as they seek to capture the magic that has made them such an acclaimed live experience. Carving out a powerful sound that incorporates elements of technical riffing, post-metal dynamics and heavyweight sludge the four members have issued a bold statement to grab your attention. Here they challenge anyone else in the genre to compete with their ability to craft dense, complex and ass-kicking music that is heavy both in terms of crushing grooves and intricate melodies.
Keeping things local, Urzah headed to Phoxjaw guitarist Josh Gallop’s own Stage 2 Studios in Bath where he also acted as producer and engineer. Roping in Eleanor Tinlin of Choir Noir and cellist Luke Clemenger to lend additional dimensions to the album, The Scorching Gaze sounds massive from the moment you press play on opening number I, Empyrean.
The pounding maelstrom that ignites this journey slams with grooves accented by vertigo-inducing string bends and subtle technical guitar runs. Vocalist Ed Fairman barks with a raw, gruff style that is highly charged with expression. Despite not showcasing the most varied range, the emotion is clear throughout and if you latch onto the lyrics, they complement the intelligent, articulate sound elevating Urzah beyond primitive frenzy.
Mixing the intense onslaught of the hardcore genre with post-metal stylings makes the flow between the intricate instrumental runs and root bludgeon of the track an exercise in sonic density, the band pile layer upon layer onto the powerful statement before unleashing a triumphant metalcore inspired breakout.
Lacrimare (Misery’s Shadow) keeps this dialled up to the max as they set off at a frantic pace with tech metal style angular fretboard pyrotechnics. This violent, faltering rhythm wrestles with breakdowns and chugging verses. When they bring the tempo down to highlight the rumbling bass and slamming percussion, Urzah tease out a smouldering passage with growing sounds of discomfort and whispered tones buried beneath the surface before they double down on the robust, but melodic bruising finish.
Smashing up against the blistering histrionics and vicious rhythms, the vocals holler with intent as they create a bruising statement destined to inspire mosh pits…
The lengthier Immateria Noir with its scything riffing keeps the power but balances the hardcore stylings with a progressive expansiveness that takes the angular guitars and vocal stabs into epic territory. As the swirling depths of the track spiral out into sonic curveballs like bouncing grooves, abrupt changes and nagging, hook-laden rhythms, the pummelling becomes a gallop and the solo towards the end is a glorious highlight, proving that musically the band are brimming with talent and ideas. As Fairman rejoins the fray for the dying moments, it is hard not to surrender yourself to the majesty.
After the short (Interlude) with its echoing spoken word over pipe and drone sounds, A Storm Is Ever Approaching kicks off with up tempo drumming and some classic metal flourishes in the thick-sounding groove. Smashing up against the blistering histrionics and vicious rhythms, the vocals holler with intent as they create a bruising statement destined to inspire mosh pits wherever they play. The breakdown into low, urgent sounds only adds to the weight of the piece as they end with the tried and tested sludge tactic of bringing back the dirty riff, but slower.
Proving that they are not merely a blunt instrument, The Aesthetic, featuring Eleanor Tinlin, is a tender, teasing melody that reminds me of the unexpected switch-up that Dry Kill Logic used to do so well on their earlier albums. The dreamy vocals float over classical guitar and a quiet atmosphere as the tension rises and the pulverising drums introduce Of Decay.
With polyrhythmic turns, the track manages to be imminently listenable yet composed to emphasise the high drama of the lyrics which incorporate the album title. This rollercoaster collision of the hoarse vocals with the hammering harmonies makes this a tight exercise in high-brow brutality.
The final two tracks, Thera I (Sea of Flames) and Thera II (Embers of Descent) combine to finish with an epic-length slice of brooding, atmospheric doom that spans fifteen minutes. Setting the scene with a slow pace allows them to demonstrate the ability to add technicality that puts their considerable musicianship at the forefront. Evolving into the sort of mid-paced battering that High On Fire does so well, they build to gigantic levels.
The second part cuts through with a jarring staccato riff and stamp of the drums that becomes a cavernous bellow of fury. Still keeping the tempo at a sludge crawl, the squealing high-end meanders like an old-school death metal solo over a ringing chug that ends the album in a commanding fashion.
The Scorching Gaze is a bold statement from Urzah. Dense and full of musical twists, they show remarkable poise for such a new band while balancing the ability to deliver massive slabs of full-force metal. Far from a simplistic workout, they have created an album that dazzles from the first to the last moments and marks them out as an act that shares similar philosophies with the likes of Herod, who create no quarter-given, brutal music, infusing it with a far-reaching, modern sensibility.
Label: APF Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden
