ALBUM REVIEW: Es Grauet – Ungfell

Nestled amongst the mist-veiled mountains of central Europe, Switzerland is a country with a long pedigree of producing some of metal’s most innovative and crushing practitioners. Notably amongst them are Helvetic folklore enthusiasts UNGFELL, who’s recent offering Es Grauet promises a whirlwind of archaic, engaging and narrative infused black metal. With source material as alien to the majority of people as local Swiss folklore, it should be at least an interesting and informative listen. However, how will it hold up against the established heavyweights who already carry the torch for folk tinged blackened music?

The way Es Grauet is constructed, from the ground up, is to tell a story. While it may not be immediately apparent without Google Translate what the finer points of the story are, there is a very definite narrative arc constructed into the tone and timbre of the music itself. It opens with Es Grauet Überm Dorf (Wie S Niemert Het Chönne Ahne), which begins with noises of rural life, wind in the bows of trees, cockerels calling et cetera, before launching into an incredibly melodic, almost sun-dappled black metal, about as close to a portrayal of happy equilibrium as it is possible to achieve in this genre.

Following this comes the footfall of a horse as someone approaches, presumably with ill intent as the following track, Tyfels Antlitz (Wie E Huerä Zwei Chind Empfanget) shifts in pitch. Darker and more intense than its predecessor, the track showcases some excellent riffing and an astonishing vocal performance from frontman and multi-instrumentalist Menetekel, covering everything from dry, rasping shrieks to cavernous, druidic chants.

As the story progresses, things evidently do not go well. The album’s tone slowly but constantly shifts, progressively getting darker and more oppressive as time evaporates. There are some moments of creeping, otherworldly atmosphere in tacks such as D Schwarzamslä (Wie Us Däne Goofe Pfaffä Wärdet) and Stossgebätt (Wie Das Wyb Als Häx Hygrichtet Wird), but for the most part the weight of the album is carried in the richly melodic and often absolutely breakneck pace of the ever-morphing lattice of riffs laid down throughout.

There are likely more riffs in Es Grauet’s 38-minute runtime than a great deal of their contemporaries will produce across their entire careers. Most importantly, they are far from unremarkable. Despite the fact there is a fresh one roughly every 30 seconds, they are almost exclusively captivating throughout, keeping the listener fresh and engaged. A prime (and excellent) example of this being the mid-period bangers Mord Im Tobel (Wie En Hinterhältige Mord Begange Wird) and S Chnochelied (Wie E Beschuldigti Gfoltered Wird Und Visione Bechunnt), which change theme, key and even time at a moments notice, resulting in the tone of Es Grauet becoming one of captivating, frantic and overtly dramatic energy.

As the album draws to a close the general atmosphere becomes somewhat colder, with penultimate track D Unheilspfaffä Vom Heinzäbärg (Wie Tod Und Verdärbe Uf Das Dorf Iistürzt) kicking off with a blistering blast beat section before devolving into a ritualistic cauldron of riffs and splintering drums.

The mood in the closing moments of Es Grauet undergoes another subtle shift, becoming earthier, darker and with a distinct druidic cant. It feels like an aural representation of becoming lost in a dense, dark wood, experiencing impotent fury at the hopelessness of the situation and the cold indifference of the ancient trees. As the track’s closing strains bleed into gentle closer S Fälsebräche (Wie S Böse Begrabe Wird), the overwhelming sense of conclusion dawns on us, with the noise of soft rainfall and an acapella choral performance acting as the moody opposite of the bright introduction we were given. A lone peal of thunder marks the end of our journey, leaving us to reflect on the unique and haunting experience we have just left and ruminating that it will likely sit in the forefront of our imagination for some time to come.

Overall, what UNGFELL have created with Es Grauet is a vibrant, fascinating and thoroughly refreshing piece of art. It is a deep listen, but one that is worth several visits. It manages to encapsulate the listeners imagination, transporting them to the musical equivalent of Gustav Dore’s  The Forest. Enchanting, spooky and unerringly hopeless all in equal measure.  If you can get on board with the idea of HEILUNG style ritualistic melody and atmosphere cast with a unique style of black metal and musicality that makes the whole thing sound like a fitting soundtrack to a witches dance at a medieval Walpurgisnacht, then Es Grauet cannot be recommended highly enough.

Rating: 9/10

Es Grauet is out now via Eisenwald.

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