Review by Felix on June 27, 2024.

Ha, it took three days, but now that I have found the “Ú” in my laptop, I can start to write the first review for (yes!) Úlfarr’s first length. At the same time, I beg your pardon that the review is not written in Old English, although the lyrics of “Orlegsceaft” revitalize this form of English. But my modern English is bad enough and you can get a review in Deutsch if you really want, but not in Old English. So it goes without saying that I cannot say something about the lyrics, but there is another language I understand – the language of black metal. Úlfarr celebrate it in its purest form with hardly varying, extremely raw vocals, they reduce the style on its essentials, they perform their songs passionately and the artwork sends greetings to "Blasfemia Eternal", the strong Ancient Rites album from 1996. Is there anything else one can demand? I don’t think so.

Just take the sinister high velocity devastator called “Trollblót“ (needless to say that I needed two further days until I had found the „ó“). Its flow is nearly perfect, because it has such a natural feeling that it has to be exactly the way it is. The smooth yet hellish approach of the song is as irresistible as the best flowing tracks of Darkthrone on „Ravishing Grimness“ (which is a great work from my point of view) and the riffing is also not too far away from this album. The riff after the break at 4:20 is not only absolutely fantastic, it also underlines the affinity for Darkthrone as well. Due to the nearly absurdly throaty vocals, there is also some „Transylvanian Hunger“ represented in the sound of Úlfarr – I can definitely imagine worse references. Or put the focus on “Wælgæst wæfre”. (Hooray, I had used “æ” already before, it was no problem to find it!) Its seven minutes are filled to the brim with aggressive, explosive eruptions. But there are also nearly thoughtful sections and they and some mid-paced parts develop depth and despair. The song shows impressively the talent of the band to give its songs the right quantum of melodies and, even better, the guys are able to write very strong, expressive melody lines.

Admittedly, “Orlegsceaft” does not consist of highlights exclusively. Some tracks are robust and solid without meeting the highest expectations. They do not lack substance and show no signs of obvious weakness, they just have to accept that they cannot fully compete with the best tracks here. So one can sit down with a good drink and press the start button or guide the needle to the record – there is no song that will hurt the comfortable scenario. The production is also nothing one has to fear. I do not know whether there is some national black metal guide line, but the sound of the album is comparable with those of Frosten’s and Hellvelyn’s debuts. Nuances are missing, maybe the guitars could sound a bit sharper, but come on, it is a pretty simple yet adequate and vigorous sound. Unfortunately I cannot hear the bass guitar, but I am not able to say whether this is a weakness of the production or a consequence I have to suffer after more than 40 years of metal consumption. Either way, Úlfarr’s full-length debut continues the sound of their EPs and deserves respect and attention.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Review by Alex Grindor on November 3, 2024.

After releasing their first EP to critical acclaim in the scene, the question was; what to do next? In the immortal words of Razorfist; the same thing with better production. And thus, only a year later, Pillars Of Mountains would release Elevation, their second EP that was similarly praised. Since Ricardo (mastermind of the band) already had established a formula in the previous EP Distance, he would take it up a notch in this next release, once again accompanied by Bryan Svank in what would be his final outing with the project.

Unlike its predecessor, which began with a calm acoustic intro, Elevation starts with a brief moment of silence that is torn apart by an unusually heavy riff, followed briefly by all other instruments joining in. Ricardo has stated that this is a conscious decision as he wanted a more aggressive release this time, which I would say he totally achieved. Whereas Distance was a more contemplative, serene experience, Elevation is harsher, aggressive, and somewhat melancholic. The production is as good (if not better) than it previously was, with every instrument having a crystal clear presence. Even the vocals, drenched in reverb, are well done. If I had to point out something, I would say that the formula of the music is barely altered in this new EP. There are some interesting moments here and there but not nearly enough variation. Likewise with its predecessor, Elevation feels like an instrumental record with vocals added later, as the vocals are even more sparse and scattered than before. They are either condensed almost entirely in one single segment or spread out unevenly around the song.

Elevation would be the last release by Pillars Of Mountains for many years, as well as the last collaboration with Bryan, who would later lose interest in death metal vocals and has gone to become an excellent guitarist, while Ricardo would show very little activity with Pillars due to various personal reasons. Despite this, Elevation is (as Ricardo proudly states) the band's heaviest release but one that, while excellent, differs very little in its formula when compared to the previous EP. It feels like one step forward and backward at the same time in every aspect. But if you are a fan of atmospheric black metal and have already listened to Distance or just want to listen to this, then wait for the night, gaze at the stars, and press play. And like previously with Distance, if you would rather listen to the music without vocals, Elevation was also released in an instrumental version in 2024. Whatever format you choose, it is worth it.

Rating: 8.9 out of 10