Band:	Urfaust
Album:	Empty Space Meditation
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	October 28, 2016
A review by:	Auntie Sahar

01. Meditatum I
02. Meditatum II
03. Meditatum III
04. Meditatum IV
05. Meditatum V
06. Meditatum VI

It's that time of the year again. Leaves are dying. Days are getting shorter. The line between the living and the dead grows thinner. And few can provide a better, more fitting soundtrack for this shadowy, ethereal atmosphere than the mighty Urfaust.

If you were to make a list of some of the most unusual or experimentally-inclined black metal bands out there, Urfaust would probably have to be on it somewhere. Having achieved notoriety in underground circles for their peculiar brand of midtempo, operatic black metal, dominated by clean vocals as opposed to the traditional shrieks, this year's Empty Space Meditation sees the Dutch duo embracing some considerably different approaches. Listeners are plunged into new territory immediately after the opening intro track with "Meditatum II," which (for the first time?) sees Urfaust utilizing blast beats in a more furious, upbeat approach. This feels very strange at first for a band that's thus far stuck almost entirely to the more atmospheric side of black metal, but repeated listens cement the impression that this change of pace still unquestionably has Urfaust written all over it.

The real way in which Empty Space Meditation feels different however has less to do with tempo and more with overall songwriting structure. This album is focused a lot less on melody and actual riffs than previously, and the music thus takes more of a repetitive, almost monotonous approach at many points throughout (see Meditatums III and IV in particular). At times this can make the music feel less catchy and memorable, especially when compared to some earlier cuts from albums like Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist and Der Freiwillige Bettler. But as with the example of "Meditatum II," this shift still doesn't seem to compromise the overall aesthetic of the band in any way; the "Urfaust spirit" is still alive, present, and effective. And in a way, making the music more droning and ritualistic in such a way fits splendidly with the album's title. Indeed, this is ideal music for falling back and zoning out to in silent meditation.

After a few splits and a somewhat unimpressive ambient EP, Urfaust have returned in strength with Empty Space Meditation, perhaps not necessarily in the way that many were expecting, but in strength nonetheless. Being able to make their music more aggressive as well as more meditative, these guys demonstrate both their commitment to evolution as well as their ability to retain their sense of identity while employing new techniques, both of which are worthy of nothing but admiration. Beware: this one might leave you slightly scratching your head at first, but it's a hell of a grower.