Review by Felix on December 12, 2021.

Armoured Angel, the band that separated thrash from speed, had a pronounced weakness for EPs. Stigmartyr, the release that celebrates this year its 25th anniversary, was the third release with exactly four pieces. But it's not only the format that reminds me of the previously produced Wings Of Death and Communion. The music also stands in the tradition of these works. Abrasive guitars lay the foundation for ironclad riffs and the result is once again impressive. Armoured Angel create an oppressive atmosphere that casts its spell on the listener.

The closer 'Ordained By Darkness' is the piece that puts the focus extremely on a dark and nightmarish mood. Is it really a song or just a generously designed outro? I don't care. The fact is that spoken vocals and a hysterical crowd generate a terrifying aura. This tune contrasts with the comparatively quick title track. 'Stigmartyr' convinces with the interplay of sawing guitars and sinister lines. This is not a speed track in the stricter sense, but it holds some more or less explosive parts that add a furious touch to the usually very controlled approach of the band; and it belongs to the highlights of the entire band catalogue.

Remarkable is the production. It emphasises the monolithic, almost monotonous (yet fascinating) compositions in a very suitable manner. One does not find any sign of happiness while the malignant guitars dominate the sound. The rhythm section does not come off badly and the hoarse voice of the lead singer strikes the right tone. Honestly speaking: it's more or less one and the same tone during the entire EP, but I don't care a pap for it. Thrash metal is no playground for opera singers. Can I have an award for this innovative finding?

Unlike its predecessors and probably due to the fact that this EP was not published by Hells Headbangers Records, it provides two songs on both sides instead of having united all tracks on one side. This means that we have a very homogeneous A side, because both songs of the first half lie between the two pieces that I have already described. Dark and somewhat grim guitars lead the listener to the forecourt of hell, not rapidly but with a firm grip. With that said, it comes as no surprise that the EP delivers only strong and subliminally violent material without any form of technical gimmicks. No frills thrash with class, this is the name of the game; and there can be no doubt that this game evokes a lot of dark emotions.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 9, 2023.

Uhritulet is another unit from (you guessed it) Finland and (of course, you guessed it again) another one man project. My romantic thoughts about a handful of friends making music in order to take the world by storm is old-fashioned as hell. Either way, the guy who runs this project calls himself VP. Without long hair or corpsepaint, he rather looks like a middle-class kid in a nice leather jacket on vacation, but this review is not about his promo picture. Doubtlessly, the self-titled debut does not win through quantity. The release clocks in at 31 minutes. Without the completely useless intro, where a soft guitar fails to set the stage and some birds caw in the distance, we would speak about an EP, right? 

Anyway, five fully equipped tracks remain. Uhritulet sound less cold and merciless than some of their more famous compatriots. The diabolic vehemence of bands such as Behexen, Malum or Azaghal is not the territory of VP. Nevertheless, his approach does not lack the necessary grimness, although he likes to integrate some melodic segments. 'Ytenä Heistä' surprises with a bewitching keyboard line that hovers over the guitars. It is catchy, expressive and atmospheric, what more can we demand? 'Katoan' is another song that gives room for harmonic lines. The melody at the beginning almost conveys a happy touch and therefore an ultimate disaster is imminent, but the song does not fall victim to its own vibrations. After the ambivalent beginning, it turns out to a fast-paced winterstorm. 

VP’s voice is responsible for the bitter note in the sound of Uhritulet. His throaty approach expresses pain and desolation. This is no extraordinary performance, but truly a good one. It looks as if the middle-class kid in his nice leather jacket isn't so harmless after all. By the way, the production also does not suffer from harmlessness. The guitars lend the album the necessary pressure, the drums sound okay and the voice has enough room to develop its full force. 

The closer 'Yön Soihduissa', a song with some parts that strongly remind me of Burzum’s “Dunkelheit”, celebrates mega-heavy slow motion riffing before it flows into an organ outro. This unexpected turn is no isolated case. Despite its short runtime, the album shows many faces and especially the closer has a lot of different facets. Just take, for example, the rocking structure of 'Tuomittu', a piece that could almost fill the dancefloor in a dark rock disco. In my humble opinion, this variety indicates a very robust potential and I hope that the artist behind Uhrilutet does not want to end as a one album wonder. This would be a shame, because Uhrilutet, ornamented with a stylish artwork, does not defy its roots and it is definitely a good start.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10