Apparitions

Urfaust is a strange and multifaceted beast. Their shadowy and ineffable journey began somewhere between 2003 and 2004 as a dark ambient project, then evolved through several incarnations of bizarre black and doom metal, by way of neoclassical atmospheres, and occult psychedelic rock. If one cohesive factor has defined the Dutch duo, it is their devotion to creating pitch black atmospheres with a strong medieval flavor. Their latest offering is released as an EP, despite being almost 44 minutes long, and by all accords Apparitions will keep the ritualistic candles burning.

As the mythical ouroboros consumes its tail, Urfaust return to the twilight corners where it all began. Three quarters of Apparitions lies far beyond the realms of metal, drifting towards gloomy ambience and ceremonial incantations. Loosely resembling a seven minute intro-track, “The End Of Genetic Circles” is a droning and ominous instrumental piece, setting the mood for the unholy sacrament which is about to take place. Far more interesting is the subsequent title track, which features synthesized strings in the place of guitars, the slow, determinant rhythms of sticksman VRDRBR, frontman IX’s characteristic chants, and eventually the gentle plucking of an acoustic guitar. It is, in a word, weird, but it is the kind of macabre weirdness from which Urfaust have always carved their path. Less outright bombastic than the orchestral dabbling of Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist, this is a new direction that might be their darkest foray yet.

Coming from any other band, it would be patently ridiculous to call “The Healer” a conventional piece. Out of the four tracks of Apparitions, however, it is the only one that could conceivably have come from one of Urfaust’s previous offerings. His distinct lamentations and wails make IX sound as tormented and possessed as ever, and a main riff that drips of sorrow and despair sets the controls downwards into the heart of darkness. That despondent nadir comes in the form of “The River”, a ritualistic ambient work stretching across 23 haunting minutes. Multilayered chants and eerie synths paint a mournful and somewhat terrifying picture, as a natural extension of the already dungeon-steeped sounds of the band.

The amounts of pure ambiance, couple with the overwhelming length of “The River” makes it difficult to judge Apparitions out of context. For those who are unfamiliar with Urfaust, this would clearly be a daunting listening experience and a terrible place to start. As an EP meant to push the band’s atmospheric side as far as possible, however, Apparitions is a resounding success. The ghostly sounds and crushing melancholy throughout makes for some of Urfaust’s most sinister and moody work to date.


Written for The Metal Observer