When I got Barathrum’s Überkill and read that this was a Finnish Black Metal band, all alarms went off at MER HQ. Panic and anxiety ensued! We called our contact in intelligence to run a background check on the band. Luckily, nothing sketchy came up! So, I could proceed with reviewing what many call the first Black Metal band from the land of a thousand lakes. Join me, and let’s uncover some hidden history!
As I mentioned, this album feels like a time machine. Even the production is retro and crunchy in that Gen-X kind of way (it’s your time, we’ve bullied Boomers enough, right?). There’s a clear Bathory vibe here, where this Black Metal isn’t so much about the occult and the dark lord (SATAN!!), but ancient battles and the blood spilled for what, back then, seemed like an honorable death. You know—dying for the rich bas… I mean, the “country”. In a way, Überkill is a traditional extreme Metal album with specks of Doom, but in 1996. Yet today, it hits differently somehow.
If you feel the scene has gotten too clean, but you can’t stand albums that sound like radio static, Überkill might be your thing. It’s not fancy, it’s not sophisticated—it’s like a hammer. There’s not much to it, but it gets the job done well and even has a bit of versatility. Now, it’s time to smash all your hopes and dreams to pieces because that’s the way of the reviewer.
Okay, I’m being dramatic. But my only real issue with Überkill is that it doesn’t offer anything you haven’t heard before. It’s consistent, but don’t expect any surprises. I can’t recall many individual tracks because the album feels like diving into a dark pit—it’s over in a decent amount of time, but too murky for me to remember what I saw. I know it’s a terrible idea to use a visual analogy for an auditory experience, but humans are visual creatures, and I’m sure you get it, smart kid!
I may not be the target audience for this album, but for those who like their Black Metal with more groove and an old-school vibe, this is the way to go. I just wish it had stepped out of the box here and there. But hey, this band is older than me, so that alone commands respect, right? Regardless of our pompous opinions or the changes in the scene, Barathrum is still releasing records, and I think this sound has its own charm—even if it’s not for my bitter soul!
Label: Hammer of Hate
Release date: 11 October, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BarathrumOfficial/
Country: Finland
Score: A trip to darker times, or 2.5-3.0/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 