the pathetic caverns - music by artist - Urkraft

Urkraft play highly formalized, fast-tempo heavy metal. Vocals are bellowed and guttural in the best Cookie Monster tradition, and although I can distinguish song titles now and then, I have no idea what most of the lyrics are. I hope they're not advocating racism, or, for that matter, Republican policies, because I admire this band's monolithic sound. The rhythm guitars are so dense and bass-y that I can't tell whether there's an actual bass guitar on the record or not -- like Metallica's ...And Justice For All at doublespeed. The kick drum is insanely quick. Throughout the disc's 10 tracks, the guitars intermittently emit trebly little stabs that last barely long enough to bend a semitone. Terse solos provide the only hint of conventional melody and suggest that Urkraft's members have studied Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. Many metal bands are prone to epics, but Urkraft embrace comparative brevity, with only one song cracking the 5-minute barrier. For such a dark/fast/heavy band, Urkraft shows a surprising propensity for prominent keyboard beds, often with a major-key feel that provides a startling contrast to the glowering riffage. The most experimental tune, "Come No Tomorrow," features a piano interlude that recalls The Cranes, of all things, and ends in a blur of ever-increasing hiss.