Review by Felix on January 1, 2022.

Úlfarr hail from Cumbria and therefore they have decided to call their style Cumbrian black metal. Now that we know this term, we are as clever as before. Anyway, if we take The Ruins Of Human Failure as a benchmark, we learn that the Cumbrian kind of black metal commutes between bestiality (especially part two of the quartered title track) and ambient soundscapes (the closer). I prefer the raw side of the band – but wait, “band” is a euphemism. There is only one artist and a drum computer.

'Cold In Death', the aforementioned closer, does nothing but snoring a primitive guitar line again and again. The excessively arranged 'Forgotten By Time' shows a more vital approach and the harsh, throaty and distorted vocals bring the brutality of the band / project to life. Slowly but steadily, the song is getting more and more intensive and faster and therefore it adds value to the EP. Tremolo picking and a cold atmosphere shape this Burzum-inspired track. Honestly speaking, I thought that Cumbria is a county in north-western England. Yet this track sounds as if it had been directly imported from the snowy forests of Norway.

The four pieces of The Ruins Of Human Failure show the real strength of Úlfarr. These short whiplashes are reduced to the essentials and sound almost like a combination of black metal with a pinch of punk. No frills, just roughshod devastation. The computer gets into a sweat in view of the partly hyper-fast rhythms, the totalitarian riffing knows no clemency and the lead vocalist spits out his vulgarities and insults. Far away from experiments, innovation and dilutions, the Cumbrian guy delivers exactly what I like to hear: a lump of raw meat in sonic form. By the way, the production builds a good foundation for this form, because it delivers a dense and hostile atmosphere.

Úlfarr is active since 2011 and their discography is pretty strange (two live albums, no studio full-length). Frankly speaking, their back catalogue looks like the one of non-creative wannabes. But most songs of the here reviewed EP speak another language. It would be great if they would give us the chance to check their potential over the distance of a full album. Until then you can listen to this vicious EP from time to time.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Alex on April 14, 2021.

Sznur wastes no time on the 3rd full-length album in which a most misanthropic and hopeless atmosphere is carved out for the entirety of 30 minutes. Casting a huge dark cloud over the black metal soundscape seamlessly with 'Czuje Zapach Twojej Cipy' that goes for mean riffing to melancholic sound textures via well embedded tremolo-picking. Yet this track does not speak entirely for the rest of Dom Człowieka as you'd be made quickly aware of the changing sonic tides on a track like 'Popłód' that would boast a more power chord structured set of riffs early on that suddenly take a cruel descent into a slightly more melodic/rhythm driven passage marked by vocals exclaimed with a nasty throaty snare.

Dom Człowieka becomes a showcase of insanity with samples thrown in to make you even more uncomfortable as you begin to delve into the mind of something mentally questionable. 'Co Się Stanie' dose this to great effect and with that said I'd even go on to note that it may be the adhesive glue that such a short album needed to give some sort of semblance to the music. Hence, it goes from listening to some aggressive and melancholic melodies, to a semi-theatrical/documentary of sorts or at least some sort of explorative undertaking.

The artwork is intriguing and is an excellent match for what you are about to experience on Dom Człowieka that in turn, also gives the record a depraved, unsound mask that adds to the enigma of the music and lyrics. Take a look at the lyrics to 'Popłód' and try to convince yourselves that they're not fucked back to front. A true question mark placed before you when it comes to dissecting the psyche and meaning behind such mental misery. The lyrics on the album become as strong as the actual music, which is telling of the creative effort put into Dom Człowieka. Listeners will be most pleased, disgusted and confused. Another strong Godz ov War release and a win for Sznur.

Rating: 8 out of 10