Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 23/09/2016
Label: Agonia Records
This
album is an album, in a
profound, coherent and meaningful way. It is heavy, dripping with dynamic and
interesting, organic changes. The sound is warm but never suffocating, and it
is brutal both when holding back (“The Mortal Tribes”) and unleashing (“Behold
the Forsaken”). I hate to use the word genre-defying,
but whatever fusion of death, doom, stoner and black metal Usurpress have
evolved into, it is their voice, it is seamless and mature, and displays no sense
of affectation.
‘The Regal
Tribe’ CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
Beneath the Starless Skies
2). The One They Call the Usurpress
3). Across the Dying Plains
4). The Mortal Tribes
5). The Halls of Extinction
6). Throwing the Gift Away
7). Behold the Forsaken
8). On a Bed of Straw
9). The Sin That Is Mine
10). In the Shadow of the New Gods
2). The One They Call the Usurpress
3). Across the Dying Plains
4). The Mortal Tribes
5). The Halls of Extinction
6). Throwing the Gift Away
7). Behold the Forsaken
8). On a Bed of Straw
9). The Sin That Is Mine
10). In the Shadow of the New Gods
The Review:
I
admittedly approached this album with some trepidation. For starters, Agonia
is a label whose roster I can have lukewarm feelings towards: I generally love
or can't abide the music they release. Secondly, having followed this album
pretty closely because of my unrelenting metal OCD, the tracks the label
decided to premiere, at least when I gave them my somewhat divided attention,
failed to really impress me. So when The Sludgelord himself demanded what was next
on my review duty roster, it was admittedly a slightly perverse choice to have
chosen Usurpress'
“The
Regal Tribe”. Here was an album towards which I'd already formed a tepid
opinion, and now I'd decided to dedicate some serious time analyzing an album I
was pretty sure wasn't going to be worthy of much note. TL;DR: it's good to be
wrong, and this album is much better than good.
The
sheer breadth of this album's tonal landscape is a little intimidating at
times, and I suspect is one of the things that during my early, wandering
listens put me off. This album is an
album, in a profound, coherent and meaningful way. It is heavy, dripping
with dynamic and interesting, organic changes. The sound is warm but never
suffocating, and it is brutal both when holding back (“The Mortal Tribes”) and unleashing (“Behold the Forsaken”). Pettersson's vocals are both varied and
savage, and are the perfect compliment to Sundström's excellent guitar work in
particular.
The
recording here is excellent; I am listening through studio monitors, and it is
a really pleasant (if pummeling) listening experience. I would hazard a guess
that the DR (Dynamic
Range
I
hate to use the word genre-defying, but whatever fusion of death, doom, stoner
and black metal Usurpress
have evolved into, it is their voice, it is seamless and mature, and displays
no sense of affectation. This is the sound of a superb group of musicians sounding
like themselves. Usurpress' maturation even since 2014's “Ordained”
is dramatic. Are influences apparent? Sure, but “The Regal Tribe” is
very much its own thing, and that thing is very good indeed. Listen to it, buy
it. This is great metal.
‘The Regal Tribe’ is available here
