With their second full-length record Managed Decline (Church Road Records), Underdark really have pushed the boundaries of the broader post-Black Metal sound by incorporating many different styles and influences, while also lyrically creating somewhat of a concept album that champions the working class in much the same way as Ashenspire’s 2022 album, Hostile Architecture.
In fact, Managed Decline thematically paints a picture of degradation told through three generations of residents surviving in a post-industrial Midlands town. The Midlands working class has been pivotal in the history of Heavy Metal with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Napalm Death all hailing from Birmingham. And while Underdark themselves are based in Nottingham, they clearly have a strong affinity with their hometown area and its influence on their music.
In the words of vocalist Abi Vasquez, “I wanted to explore the long-term effects of Thatcherite neoliberalism and the slow-burning disaster they’ve caused for people here. Each generation has to make do with less, and turns to more extreme vices to cope as the loss of purpose and community sets in.”
Lyrically, the songs very much highlight the trials and tribulations of working life and addiction, whilst musically, the record provides some of the most intriguing and fresh Black Metal from this year’s UK scene.
Managed Decline opens with an intro of calming clarity which bleeds into “Managed Decline 1” where an isolated, distorted guitar gently strums before blast-beats and fury drop in with Abi’s rasping vocals. The song offers a truly emotional journey with plenty of chopping and changing of both pace and tone as the band delivers grungey guitar riffs one moment and fast tremolo picking with some tasty lead work the next.
“Employment” is deeply textured with an abundance of atmosphere where a sweeping overture gives way to a black-gaze styled finale. “Matrimony” twists and turns its way through, leading to a climax of flowing tremolo leads and a down-picked grunged riff once again. Meanwhile, “Enterprise” shows a band who can blend a raging black metal style with another haunting and emotional black-gaze sound as the track progresses.
Finally “Managed Decline II” plays the record out by opening slower before building into a passionate exploration of the dark arts and finishing with a rather uplifting aura of sound.
Buy the album here:
8 / 10
ABSTRAKT_SOUL