Urfaust | |
|---|---|
 Frontman IX in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Asten, Netherlands |
| Genres | Atmospheric black metal, black doom, dark ambient, avant-garde |
| Years active | 2003–2023 |
| Labels | Ván Records |
| Past members |
|
Urfaust was a Dutch atmospheric black metal band, active from 2003 to 2023.
Urfaust (named after Goethe's Urfaust) initially began as an ambient project by musician IX. [1] He recorded the demo Urvaterlicher Sagen. Later, VRDRBR (pronounced "Verderber"), who had already worked as a guest musician for The Devil's Blood, joined the band, and in 2004, their debut album Geist ist Teufel was released on the GoatowaRex label. Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist followed in 2005. More EPs and splits were released in the following years. Later, the band signed with Ván Records, owned by former Nagelfar member Sven Dinninghoff. In August 2023, Urfaust announced the end of the project. [2]
On their albums, Urfaust played raw and simple black metal, but without the usual screams. IX used a kind of operatic singing that varies from clear vocals to screams reminiscent of Burzum. The guitar is extremely distorted and often features strong effects. This contrasts with the dry, clear drums. Some pieces are played only with classical instruments such as the violin, double bass, timpani, and trumpets. The reviews were mostly positive. The music is described as "difficult to digest", [3] "intoxicating and oppressive". [4] Drei Rituale jenseits des Kosmos contains strong influences from drone doom. The music on this EP has been compared to the black metal/death/industrial band Abruptum. [5] The EP Einsiedler is somewhat more melodic, but at a similarly slow tempo. It features influences from post-rock as well as a keyboard solo lasting several minutes. The band's influences lie in black metal, but also in medieval music, ancient hymns, and Shōmyō chanting. [6] Lyrical inspirations include Goethe's Faust and Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra . [7]
The names of the songs are in sophisticated but often flawed German: Auszug Aller Tödlich Seinen Krafte, Der Halbtoten Dichters Schein-Existenz. The band's lyrics are neither understandable nor well known, and the question is often raised as to whether they even exist. [8]
"It sounds as if 'the text' doesn't contain a single word. Singer IX primarily expresses himself in plaintive cries with an ornithological background [...] and a morbid singsong that sometimes exudes the solemn theatricality of a dying opera hero, sometimes sounds like a drunken sailor who wavers and sways between suppressed joie de vivre and infinite longing."
– Dirk Bengt: Review of Einsiedler in the online magazine Burn Your Ears. [9]
However, a statement by the band suggests that although the voice is used as an instrument, there are also lyrics. [7] The booklet accompanying the album Der freiwillige Bettler, released in 2010, contains lyrics written in Dutch.
Demos
Studio albums
Live albums
EPs
Split albums
Singles
Compilations
