URSULAR ~ PRETA .... review

For some the inclusion of saxophone in rock and metal music is a big no-no while for others the addition of the brass instrument is something to be encouraged as it brings with it textures and colours you might not otherwise hear in either genre. Being fans of a wide spectrum of different musical genres we at Desert Psychlist fall very much into the latter camp with our thinking being that if the sax sits so well in music like the blues, soul and jazz then why should it not work in rock and metal. It seems very strange to us  that most fans of heavy music are perfectly willing to except bands utilising violins, cellos and flutes in their music but mention the inclusion of the humble saxophone and a brick wall suddenly goes up. This "saxism" is even more prevalent within the doom community, maybe that is because an instrument that "honks" rather than "crunches" seems an alien concept to fans of a music that has built its reputation on dank, dark guitar refrains and thrumming low bass lines. Berlin outfit Ursular, Babett (vocals,/saxophone) ;Tim (guitar); Kay (bass) and Markus (drums) are attempting to change this outdated perception with their new album "Preta", the band delivering all the dank guitar heavy doom you could possibly ask for but then augmenting that doom with a brass instrument that is not always sonically pretty but when placed in the right setting dooms like a motherf**ker.

Desert Psychlist has read reviews and posts posted on social media comparing Ursular with bands like Windhand and Italy's Haunted and although we can understand the thinking behind these comparisons we do not necessarily agree with them, Ok their are certain similarities Ursular share with those two bands, like the sex of their vocalist and the fact that Ursular also jam grooves that are heavily reliant on atmosphere, but that's where, for us, the comparisons end. Ursalar's sound is a much more intricate and encompassing affair, some of which comes down to Babett's soaring vocals and the saxophone she wields like a jazz veteran but chiefly it comes from the superb grooves Tim, Kay and Markus lay over, under and around her, grooves that are doomic in nature but in an undulating. billowing way, heavy of course but more of a strong dark breeze than a bullish blustering wind. "Preta" consists of just four songs, "Siren", "Malediction", "Livores" and "Golem" each of which heavily features Babett's sax, her weapon of choice sometimes just adding an extra level of depth to a songs groove other times featuring as a lead instrument in its own right but in all cases acting as prominent component in the band overall sound, its no wonder the band are dubbing what they do as "saxodoom".

Those who think that a saxophone should not be allowed within a hundred miles of a doom album might have to rethink their stance after hearing Ursular's "Preta", the introduction of the instrument into the bands dark but not overly crushing grooves does not detract one iota from their take on doom, in fact it enhances it tenfold and then some.

Check it out ...

© 2023 Frazer Jones