ALBUM REVIEW: Iron Will of Power – Urn

2019 has been an incredible year for black metal. With incredible albums from the genre pushing the boundaries of both what the genre can accomplish and the emotion in the more standard frameworks, it would come as little surprise to see an end of year top ten list with only black metal records on it. But for all the emotion, experimentation and boundary pushing, sometimes, all you need is a blackened assault of simple, but well executed, savagery. Enter Finnish blackened thrashers, URN, who return with fifth full length offering, Iron Will Of Power, via Season Of Mist Underground Activists. But with the genre in such untouchable form, can URN cut through the competition?

From the offset, it’s immediately clear that URN lean far further into the thrashy, up-tempo brand of black metal than many of their contemporaries currently making waves across Europe. Forgoing any hint of an overarching concept, atmosphere building or cult-like darkness, URN drive straight into the party. Blistering through Downfall Of Idols and Malignant Strange Vision the band feel like a pure juxtaposition – there is plenty of old-school black metal in their sound, but the general vibe throughout Iron Will of Power is one of drinking beer, shredding guitar and partying, rather than the sometimes grim-dark nature of modern black metal. It comes as a refreshing change, but the general fun vibes lack the emotional depth and memorability of much of the year’s blackened offerings.

All that changes with the fantastic one-two of Funeral Oath and Prayers. Doubling down on the fun aspect of their sound, URN employ tighter, more creative songwriting throughout Funeral Oath, throwing in an instantly memorable chorus for good measure, while Prayers brings an unprecedented level of darkness and brutality into proceedings, showcasing the band’s ability to delve into the more abrasive elements of the genre. Unfortunately, while a lovely little piece of music, the interludial Gates To Hyboria brings the momentum of these two highlight tracks crashing to a halt, and though none of the following material is poor, Iron Will of Power never quite reaches the same heights.

Kicking into Side B, Demonlord keeps the pace high and the groove going strong, but feels somewhat disjointed – too many transitions and styles competing against one and other leaves what could have been another stand out moment falling a bit flat, while Spears of Light leans a little too far into the thrash elements of the band’s sound, feeling too clean and out of place in what has been a largely gritty, blackened offering. Penultimate track Hunted brings a nice dose of groove, while closing the closing Will to Triumph proves to be a point of great frustration – alongside Funeral Oath and Prayers, Will to Power shows exactly the calibre URN are capable of, and highlights the hit-or-miss nature of the record.

Iron Will of Power lacks both the grandiose atmosphere and the dark, occult leanings of much of modern black metal, instead leaning harder into the thrash-rooted origins of the genre and delivering a very fun style more akin to early SODOM or VENOM than SINMARA or MGŁA. This more simplistic style works well for the most part for URN, proving to be a welcome change of pace in the genre – however, Iron Will of Power is marred by inconsistent songwriting, and doesn’t have the same breathtaking staying power as its grander counterparts.

Rating: 6/10

Iron Will Of Power is out now via Season Of Mist Underground Activists. 

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