Review: “Not At All” by Eurkuh

There seems to be something in the water in Australia because the country keeps producing wave after Tsunami wave of bands and musicians with supreme talent when it comes to Metal. Hailing from the ‘The place of many crows‘ otherwise known as the Wagga Wagga region in New South Wales comes Eurkuh, a mysterious one man Black Metal project from an unnamed multi-instrumentalist with a debut EP in “Not At All” adorned by cover art from Tristan Tait Illustrations depicting a crow-goat. It’s probably Arsenic.

“Indoctrination since birth, no encouragement for self thought. Punishment for those who stray, conform or suffer!” is the raspy, dry throated call of “Stray“, a Black Metal cut steeped in tradition with pulsating percussive battery and the usual buzz saw guitar tones with atmosphere for days as it shrouds the listener in perpetual darkness. There is a mastery to the dark, grim black arts here that have been sharpened like meat hooks before being plunged into the flesh and that should be commended, as while the drum sound is a little volatile in places, it certainly isn’t without polish, sounding like it has been played without the use of a click track rather than in a cave. Title track “Not At All” is just as vocally barbed and the nature of the uncleans gives perhaps a false impression of an older, gnarly and haggard musician creating these sounds, something if you’re familiar with the work of Canadian Black Metal solo project Maudiir, you’ll know all to well. If you haven’t been beaten into submission by this point then the jackhammer footwork of “Entfesseln” will drill holes deep into your skull before some other Worldly ambient acoustic passages blow your mind like a hallucinogenic acid trip, a broody atmospheric that while brief, makes the track. The finale, a tale of murderous intent as our protagonist plays the role of the Grim Reaper himself, “Recoiled in Horror” is as dark and moody as they come and a fitting end to a rewarding listen [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Stray
2. Not At All
3. Entfesseln
4. Recoiled in Horror

“Not At All” by Eurkuh is out now and available over at bandcamp