Nottingham black metal revolutionaries Underdark formed back in 2015. They have since released an EP and a split album while playing with the likes of Dawn Ray’d and Inter Arma. Now Underdark prepare to fight oppression and suppression with their debut LP, Our Bodies Burned Bright on Re-Entry. The album is a clarion call from the UK band; an impassioned howl attacking injustice. The album will be released officially on July 30th from a killer combo of labels: Surviving Sounds (UK), Through Love Records (EU) and Tridroid Records (US/CAN). Luckily, Decibel Magazine has an exclusive stream a few days in advance so you experience Underdark early.
If you listened to Underdark’s Mourning Cloak EP, then you’re prepared for the band’s striking tone shifts. Our Bodies Burned Bright on Re-Entry continues the band’s contrasting soundscape of ferocious blasts and ethereal blackgaze. “Qeres” is an immediate introduction to the disparate elements of their sound. A prominent somber bass. Spoken-word that turns to snarls in the moonlight. Clean guitars that sparkle in the night sky before a storm of distortion. The title track introduces more low growls before a mid-song segue into a vulnerable monologue. “With Ashen Hands Around Our Throats” begins with suffocating heaviness before drifting into a comparably gentle reprieve. The band’s anti-fascist stance and focus on de-stigmatizing mental health and addiction struggles help shape this debut into a black metal record with a refreshingly earnest and personal voice.
“This album is the culmination of years spend grinding away to hone our sound and craft something genuinely moving,” shares vocalist Abi. “For me, it’s crafted catharsis. Playing these songs is one of my favorite parts of living, and I think that translates onto the record.”
Press play below and burn bright while listening to Underdark’s debut LP.
Pre-order Underdark’s Our Bodies Burned Bright on Re-Entry HERE
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