Review: DENY THE URGE “As Darkness Falls”

DENY THE URGE As Darkness Falls
G.U.C.

So, the time for a band from Germany has come. DENY THE URGE comes from Braunschweig and was born yet last century (1998). There were not so many changes in line-up, but they were important. I mean, this is only guitarist Henrik who plays in the band from the beginning. Other members joined already in 21st century. It doesn’t mean that they’re green-horns, of course. This is especially about the drummer James who played and plays in several English and Polish bands (the most well-know is of course VADER).

You can see how meaningful were these changes in line-up and which problems they caused when you’ll take a look at number of band’s releases. As Darkness Falls is their third album only and it was released after long nine years, more or less. Besides, between second in line Blackbox of Human Sorrow and this one there was something like nine years break. Except mentioned full-lengths guys recorded demo In-Consequence (2002) and debut Subsequent Confrontation.

I haven’t heard previous releases of Germans, but the newest album contains very qualitative music in my opinion. There’s nothing edge-cutting or new. Well, I think this is even compliment for the guys because I feel they just wanted to create music like that. You’ll ask me what kind of music is playing by these three Germans and one British? Actually the answer is very easy, even banal – this is an old-school Death Metal we have to do here with. I have connotations from time to time with mentioned above band, by the way.

Guys play really variable and it happens a lot in every of these thirteen songs. This is mostly because of often changing (and not so trite by the way) riffs of course mostly of, but believe me that also in lines of drums and bass things happen. Riffs create specific, the most often brutal melody – You can feel very easily that Henrik plays guitar since ages and instrument is integral part of himself that has no secrets for him. We’re able to hear some technical displays as well, but they always serve to brutality. James’ drumming is also full of imagination and even somehow sophisticated. The same like guitar’s track. This is pure Death Metal without some unnecessary displays, too long passages and stuff like that. But in the same time you can enjoy good technical playing. You can easily hear quite clear connections with music of the best well-known Polish bands here and it takes all aspects. Well, maybe the less in Henrik’s vocalizations. He has different timbre then Peter. Of course you can find several other inspirations in music of DENY THE URGE.

Anyway, we have a very good album here and I recommend it to everyone who at least like old school Death Metal. I agree that this is nothing edge-cutting or something, but in the same time guys create own music and it is mission impossible to say: “they play exactly like…”. Anyhow, grab it!