Ungfell is a one man Black metal project from Switzerland. That one man is Menetekel who has been writing and recording necrotic folk tinged Black Metal since 2014. Being a one man band must mean no creative differences and the ability to get shit done quick smart.  Totbringaere – the full length debut was only released last year and here we are in 2018 with another 10 slabs of dark chaos.

The album opens with a pleasant enough folk instrumental and I start having nightmares of hey nonny nonny and annoying Korpiklaani klones.  “De Turst und s Wuetisheer” spurts forth from the sound of an amp being turned on and a bit of feedback and we are off to the races. Shrieked pained vocals reminiscent of the microphone breakdowns of Denis Mikula from Ghost Bath but on crank instead of Xanax.  Oberlandmystik is another instrumental containing the sort of new age sounds that get played in the one head shop in a small town seguing into Bluetmatt which is a pedal to the metal Speed BM with an intriguing power metal come  folky oompah section.  The folk feels a little stapled on for me and disintegrates the atmosphere that is being conjured.

One issue with one man projects in my opinion is the drums and Ungfell are no exception. I am not sure if the tubthumper is a person or a bot but there is a lack of organic matter about the beats contained here.

Die Heidenburg follows with male choral parts and a structure that reminds me of Stahlsarg/Eastern Front and I am expecting frostbitten war tales. Maybe they are within but I didn’t do German at school and by the time the folk section has leapt back in I have lost interest.  Another instrumental follows as does another amp feedback intro after.  Die Hexenbrut zu Nirgendheim blasts around a spiralling guitar line and an organ. The raging thunder is good while it lasts but the twin vocals grate and it descends into a cacophonic mess. It is almost a relief when the next folk interlude is upon me. Almost. Here comes some accordion and what sounds like a bodhran. These are the sounds of the busker I run past in the high street.  It’s all a little Waylander light for me. If that floats your long boat then you may well dig Ungfell.  By the time Raserei des Unholds brings things to a close I feel like listening to some techno or deep house. Anything filled with big beats and electronica to drown out the folk (rockers) in corpse paint. Not my burlap sack. It is too little of one thing and too much of another. Like Angel Delight in a curry.

(5/10 Matt Mason)

https://www.facebook.com/Ungfell-1553339294947606

https://ungfell.bandcamp.com/releases