Album Review: Uburen – Fra Doden Fodes Liv (Self-Released)

The crushing heaviness that opens Red Dawn is a clear precursor to just what you’re going to get throughout Fra Doden Fodes Liv, the second album from the extreme/ viking black metal band, Uburen.

It’s an unrelenting listen, battering at your senses with a ferocious combination of drum/bass beats, guttural vocals & guitar riffs. There isn’t a whole lot of imagination here…early songs like Red Dawn, Matyrens Kammer & Draugen are repetitive & lose their vigor as they drag on.

This is hard, fast metal that is best served in quick bite-sizes but many go on for over 6 minutes leaving you feeling a little flat by the end.

There’s plenty to enjoy about this album though…the vocal work is deliciously evil. Sounding like they’ve been dragged up from the pits of hell to give voice to these songs. The drumming is of high quality too with exciting, fast-paced beats.

The shorter songs hit much harder, fitting the non-stop sonic assault perfectly. I Become (with a dirty spoken word/guitar melody section), Som Var & album closer, Our Land on Fire are great, heavy songs that you’ll want to hear again.

This is a mighty fine extreme/black metal record, one that will leave you feeling a bit exhausted by time the last few notes are played. It’s hardly fresh or exciting but if your mood is particularly dark this would be the perfect soundtrack.

Full Track Listing:

1. Red Dawn
2. Matyrens Kammer
3. I Become
4. Draugen
5. Som Var
6. Nøkken
7. Nidingstav
8. I Hail
9. Our Land on Fire

We’d like to thank Uburen & FullBlast! PR for providing us with a copy of the album for this review. You can pick up the album here & check out more about the band over on their Facebook page.