Urfaust - Geist Ist Teufel review
| Band: | Urfaust |
| Album: | Geist Ist Teufel |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | 2004 |
01. Intro
02. Die Kalte Teufelsfaust
03. Drudenfuß
04. Auszug Aller Tödlich Seinen Krafte
05. Geist Ist Teufel
06. Outro
One of the most strange and bewildering bands of the last years is the Dutch Urfaust. Originally being a Dark Ambient project, after the first demo it was decided that a more Black Metal approach would be followed. A wise decision, as the genres are very compatible - when done right. Geist Ist Teufel is a perfect example of how to do this right.
The fundament is laid by very minimalistc instrumentation, only the most basic of raw, underproduced guitarriffs and pounding, monotone drumming. Eerie tunes from the deepest abyss ascend, obviously a little trick they learned in their Dark Ambient days. Except for the dark ambience, the mood shifts from time to time. After an eerie intro and likewise song, the guitarriffs speed up to a catchy, almost folkish tune. From there, it goes back to dark again and finally it flows over into too shoreless ambient tracks. So far, so good, but all pretty typical atmospheric Black Metal.
Fortunately it does not end here. Urfaust has one special weapon, one unique attribute that sets them apart from every Black Metal band out there. The only band that can approach them in sound is Circle Of Ouroborous which, frankly, aren't nearly as good. Of course I am talking about the exceptional, unique vocals. They are clean, often wailing in a grotesk, operatic style. IX (the vocalist) has a very nasal sound, and seems to be singing off-key all the time. As a matter of fact, he is a rather horrible singer. But this wouldn't be Black Metal if it wouldn't be good in some sort of way.
While they may technically not be good at all, his wailing has some sort of depressing, sad undertone that is mesmerizing from start to finish. And to top it all off, he occasionally boasts out a shriek that sounds more mentally unstable than Nattramn (Silencer) will ever be able to. His performance is impressive, as he comes frighteningly close to how a fanatical Devil worshipper would sound. All fuses are blown, and IX is lost forever, dancing and praying in the woods, singing loud his unholy worship. Endless solitary worship. A very chilling experience to say the least.
And to end this review in style, let me add that this review is not for the weak or the faint-hearted. This is some serious class stuff, but you have to be able to appreciate it. If you can, a dark gem awaits you.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 10 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 03.03.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff. |
Comments
Comments: 26
Visited by: 180 users
| Lucas Mr. Noise elite Posts: 13427  |
A really weird, but mesmerizing album. Chilling!
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
I finally downloaded this and I'm liking it so far. The vocals sound retarded at times, but overall it's a pretty relaxing album for me to listen to.
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| Deadsoulman elite Posts: 8004  |
Woo, lousy vocals over underproduced guitar and monotone drumming, that sounds like fun/Striborg  (sorry I haven't heard this and probably won't give it a try, but your description made me think of a - slightly more competent - Striborg)
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| Lucas Mr. Noise elite Posts: 13427 |
Written by Deadsoulman on 05.03.2008 at 20:34 Hahaha, yeah, perhaps it does. In the defence of this album: the minimalistic drumming is really in the background, and I mean really when I say really. Whether you will like or dislike depends on the vocals, as they are the main factor of the album. So I'd suggest checking out at least one song: Go for the song "Geist Ist Teufel". EDIT: though it does have keyboards, which not all songs have. meh, no song on that myspace is really representive, but i suppose the first song should still give somewhat an impression. EDIT II: lol, there is also a third song. go for that one.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Deadsoulman elite Posts: 8004 |
OK it's not the kind of stuff I'd listen to every day, but it's surprisingly not as bad as I thought  I can even say I quite liked the first two songs. The vocals are totally lame but it's going rather smoothly. As for the third song... well, those pathetic excuses for screams are way over the top lol. It's strange music, but there is definitely something there.
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| Southern Wind Account deleted |
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Oh my god, Lucas... The kind of music you listen to... Seriously, where do you dig up these mega-obscure bands? The album isn't bad, really... It has a nice dark/depressive atmosphere, and I like the vocals for the most part.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Slayer666 on 26.09.2009 at 13:23 Urfaust mega-obscure?  not really. They are quite well-known within the black metal scene.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.09.2009 at 13:29 Huh, really? That's odd, I've never heard of them before stumbling on this review... OK, this is going to be off-topic, but have you ever heard of the bands The Eye and Damnatur? I heard some shit from both, liked it, but can't find their albums anywhere on the Net.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Slayer666 on 26.09.2009 at 15:25 Nope I never heard of The Eye and Damnatur. They play black metal?
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.09.2009 at 15:26 Atmospheric/ambiental Black Metal. For 2 real mega-obscure bands, those 2 songs I've heard are surprisingly good.
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469  |
Concerning BM with awful vocals, Armanenschaft deserves a special mention. In fact, the whole band deserves a special mention in the "shittiest BM bands you ever heard" category. It really sucks ass.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 26.09.2009 at 16:12 Just searched them and it is Sami Hynninen aka Albert Witchfinder of Reverend Bizarre, The Puritan, and Spiritus Mortis (to name his three most famous bands) on vocals. I like his vocals on those three bands, but then again those are clean doom vocals. I wonder how he sounds like in Armanenschaft since you say his vocals are crap there 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.09.2009 at 16:30 I knew some guy from Reverend Bizarre was involved. Listen to this, it will give you an idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb9RVuJXZzg
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 26.09.2009 at 17:08  hilarious. This certainly must be a pisstake on überunderground black metal and knowing Sami it most probably is.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469 |
I believe it's a joke. How could someone take such crap seriously? Even Striborg is less atrocious than this shit.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 26.09.2009 at 17:17 Yep I always regarded Sin Nanna's project as the pits but this one takes it all. Btw I took part in the Duutch National Metalquiz and guess what the last place got? A DVD of Striborg
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino staff Posts: 18274  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.09.2009 at 17:20 Oh man.. I can't even imagine how shitty that would be. And also... I just heard the link that Lord send, and it's awful, It shouldn't be on a Urfaust review, those guys don't deserve to be compared to this shit.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 26.09.2009 at 17:08 Wow... wow... Even the one Striborg would be ashamed of this... At least in his albums (if you try really hard) you can actually hear a shitty riff somewhere in that mess. "A riff? What's that?" the guys from Armanenschaft wonder...
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Regardless of what I wrote about this album two years ago, I've been listening to it now and have to say it's dreadful. Kind of like a parody to ambient black metal. A bad parody.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino staff Posts: 18274 |
Written by Slayer666 on 21.09.2011 at 15:35 Heh, for me it was the other way around. Awful at first, but then I liked it.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.09.2011 at 19:00 It's too bad, though, track numbah 5 really, really works for me, the entire album should have been in similar vein. The first 3 tracks are absolutely horrendous, maybe the overall impression would have been better if the whole thing was completely ambient.
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8981  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.09.2009 at 17:20 Oh god... that'd be fun What did you win (sorry, old post, but you're still a regular user so fuck it)
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8981 |
Wow, this was wierd, vocals are indeed bad at points, and the guitar just sounds liek a buzz from the couple of tracks I've heard.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino staff Posts: 18274 |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 28.06.2012 at 04:03 Aye, it's either love or hate affair with these guys. But their recent albums have a far better sound. I personally love his style even in their first album.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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