Review by SzejkElRopa on February 4, 2026.

Looking at the band photo of these guys, it can be confidently said that you wouldn't like to see them while walking alone in the dark corner of the city. Their faces are covered, and one of them is holding a machete. Does this look appealing to you? Does the name of the band - "Udręka", which translates to "Anguish", also make you want to listen to this band? For most people, the answer probably would be 'no'. Nevertheless, a certain niche audience might want to listen to it. And there are reasons why.

"Nieistnienie" ("Non-existence" in English) lasts for almost 39 minutes and covers seven songs. The overall bleak, heavy musical tone predominantly conjures up Odraza, yet no one can say there is any copying, or even that Udręka is a worship project. The heaviness of guitars and the harsher vocals might remind one of the aforementioned band. The atmosphere is bleak, furious, and hateful, which can be proved by songs such as 'ANTY', which bursts with vehement drumming, aggressive shouting, and disdainful lyrics. While most of the album's content is quite similar to what I have just written, certain moments depart from the rule. For instance, the track 'Rozkład' is a slow-paced, doomish track that drags the listener with it into the world of the titular rotting. It even incorporates some melancholic acoustic guitar, ending the song. Moreover, the longest, closing track 'Światło', features a sepulchral sample of a woman most likely talking about suicide. Additionally, heavy riffs alternate with more melodic fragments, especially guitar solos that are dropped here and there. The atmosphere is also enriched by the standing out bass parts. One of the most aggressive songs is 'Zniszczyć Zbudować Powtórzyć', which, similarly to 'ANTY', is vehement; however, this song is more complex. Starting with a heavy yet catchy riff, the song moves to the chorus and the second verse, which builds tension in this particular song. Although the album is brutal in its majority, it can't be said that it is one-sided or tedious.

The duality of vocals is another plus of the album. The primary vocalist’s delivery is furious and harsh, but on the other hand, the guest vocalist adds hopelessness to this album. Take a look, for example, at the first verse of 'Żar'. Accompanied by a fast, melodic, but quite melancholic riff, the powerful shouts make this part of the song quite unsettling. Furthermore, the song then takes a punkish turn, with shouts that are more focused on conveying the overall energy rather than hopelessness. The riffs are, as I said, predominantly heavy. Although there are a few more melodic fragments, the music is crafted to hit the listener head-on. I can't seem to find any particular standouts, even though the riffs are well-done and gripping. The drumming is surprisingly good, with a person behind it who definitely can use the full set and make this album even more interesting.

The lyrics are all in the Polish language, which also resembles more and more modern black metal Polish bands who decide to use their native language instead of English. There are many various motifs; for instance, the title track talks about the person who wishes they had never been born. Interesting lyrics can be found in 'Zniszczyć Zbudować Powtórzyć' - they mention the alcoholism in the family of the persona, as well as the feeling of abandonment by everyone and everything. Lastly, the album has a very interesting ending. In 'Światło', the persona speaking believes that their life is over, yet "In my thoughts / Like mantra / Two words / To the light". What is that light? It's most likely left to the listener's own interpretation.

Udręka, with their first full-length album, doesn't seem to broaden the borders of the genre, yet it doesn't try to reinvent the wheel in a silly way. "Nieistnienie" is an album that should be listened to by every person who desperately waits for anything new by Odraza or likes any other band in the spirit of them. I give this album 8.6, because the album was very gripping from start to end, yet I see more potential in these guys that can be fulfilled in the future. Everything is ahead of them!

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Michael on October 10, 2026.

Boredom must be a terrible word for Sebastian Ramstedt, whom you might know as the main songwriter and guitarist in Necrophobic. Why? Well, apart from his main band, he has a few other projects on the go, and with no new material from In Aphelion this year, it's time for some old-school death metal with Eldfödd and their album "The Night Belongs To The Dead".

Having already released a very nice appetiser ("Risen From The Flames" EP in 2025), I was eager to give the full-length debut a listen. The cover alone gives you an idea of what will be unleashed upon the listener over the next 43 minutes: raw death metal and a dirty bastard of a mix between Swedish and filthy American legends (which, of course, means Autopsy). So, naturally, Sebastian and his companions (the usual suspects, Johan Bergebäck and Perra Karlsson) don't reinvent the wheel, but that's not what Eldfödd was created for. This is pure worship of late-'80s and early-'90s death metal, with bands such as Carnage, Dismember (logically, if you mention Carnage), Entombed, and Grave serving as obvious reference points. But Necrophobic also shines through quite often, especially when it comes to the guitar riffing. I guess that's simply in Sebastian's genes.

Every now and then, though, when you least expect it, you get a few surprises. "Torturer" kicks off with some cool Bathory worship. "A Fine Day To Die," I would say… but wrapped in some ugly death metal. Nevertheless, Eldfödd still aim to be catchy. Not so catchy that you could accuse them of softening their death metal, but just enough to make the tracks stick in your mind after listening. "Suffocating Halo" is a good example. It's a focused mid-tempo stomper with some cool twists. Songs like this one breathe pure death metal DNA and simply blow you away. You can also hear the guys' musical skills at work here. This is no run-of-the-mill stuff; it's top-notch.

Speaking of musical skills, the vocal performance also deserves attention. Erik Sahlström, the main gargler in General Surgery, delivers some seriously grim and raw vocals with an amazingly pissed-off undertone. The raspiness and subtle nuances in his voice enhance the aggressive atmosphere throughout the nine songs (plus intro) and work really well here. Higher-pitched or darker shouts wouldn't create the same dirty, rotten atmosphere. Apropos of the intro, it sounds quite interesting, as if the Grim Reaper were about to meet Pinhead.

The production is very dynamic, perhaps the complete opposite of what Andy Sneap would do. You can clearly make out the individual instruments, and the tracks have plenty of highs and lows. The drum production stands out in particular. I often find that drums sound either too thin or too heavy, but in this case, they kick ass without being pushed too far into the foreground, providing a solid framework for everything else.

So, let's hope Sebastian Ramstedt stays this busy for the next 666 years—or, as Eldfödd would say, "The Night Belongs To The Dead." If you're into old-school death metal, this is probably a must-have in 2026 and definitely one of the year's highlights so far.

Rating: 9 out of 10