The current societal and political climate in our world, not to mention the actual climate, are harrowing. We’re teetering on the edge of full-blown fascism, and here in the United States, we’re coming off one of the most sobering, terrifying weeks in a long time as we watch law and order in this land fall to the clutches of religious and right-wing fanaticism.
Germany’s Uprising has been on the musical frontline since the project started a decade ago, and its mastermind W also has been an integral part of Waldgeflüster, another band that’s battled social and political forces for years. Uprising’s new full-length “III” continues that effort, and over six blazing tracks and 40 inspired minutes, we are thrown full bore into melodic, but forceful black metal that refuses to give an inch and unabashedly throws the bullshit back into the face of a budding power structure that wants to strangle freedom. Joining W is drummer Austin Lunn (the power behind the mighty Panopticon), and the force is sweltering and catchy, a defiant fist into an enemy that thinks we’re a pushover.
“Eternal Mantra” launches with fire and emotion, ripping hard as the playing takes a hold of you and scorches with its passion. Lyrically, there are callouts to the endless class war artificially tilted toward the rich as the playing pounds, spacious singing coming in and adding a new texture. The guitars blaze as a glorious gust slams shut the gates. “Uprise III” continues a path that started on the band’s self-titled debut, and here the guitars are spindly, the pace trudging, the howls scarring. Melodies flood as clean singing bellows, nasty howls following up with nasty precision, the drums punishing. Poison darts are thrown at selfishness and embraces the strive for social justice, the playing shaking before fading into a current. “Raise a Glass” simmers in organs before the tempo erupts, growls crushing, fiery and colorful playing flooding over. Shrieks and singing rush over the chorus, black metal-style violence swirls, and a jarring force flattens every bone in your body.
“A Message to the Hypocrites” drills, the screams digging into the earth, the riffs speeding and slipping into tornadic fury. Vicious playing and forceful hammering make for an unbeatable team, growls ripping as defiant calls leave bruising and burns all over the enemy. “While the World Is Burning” fades in, churning as the pressure builds, shrieks charring as the tempo becomes an even bigger menace. News clips about the threat of climate change and quotes from serial felon Donald Trump denying the issue not only can make your blood boil but also make you want to take up arms. Someone better. “Deny the past, deny the reasons,” W wails furiously, trying to hammer home a desperate measure as rageful melodies burn into the ground. Closer “Brace Yourself” is molten, engulfing you in a devastating force that slips into vicious melodies and harsh howls. Guitars swelter as the pace blisters, W singing, “You will know sorrow before this is over,” a sobering thought going into an ideological battleground. The final moments stab toward the oncoming wave of tyranny, the wash of acoustics cleansing wounds and pushing the fight.
We live in a dangerously changing world, and while I see the rot settling into America, I know that it’s not going to stay restrained to this land. Uprising have been at this struggle for years, even before this venture came together, and “III” is a battle cry, the metallic equivalent of storming the gates of the enemy with only victory in mind. Tyranny looms largely over us, but the war is far from over, so the fight must continue.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/uprisingblackmetal
To buy the album, go here: https://shop.aoprecords.de/gb/
For more on the label, go here: http://www.aoprecords.de/
Meat Mead Metal 