Black metal of many varieties is on a tear this year, and if we’re being honest, the last couple of years have been incredibly friendly to those of us who actively seek out what this genre has to offer. Winterherz (credited as W here, aka Jan van Berlekom) of Waldgeflüster fame has been providing poignant stylings with said project for quite some time now, but even more interesting to these ears has been his more recent side endeavor Uprising. Mainly a solo effort, with three full-lengths (though one, Uprising I.I was a remix/remaster of the 2016 debut), Uprising has been turning more ears with each release. We now arrive at III, which may be their most diverse and untethered yet.
Musically, Uprising is furious and direct, with the right dosage of melody and a few twists to keep things interesting. Thematically staunchly anti-facist, the subjects explored range from greedy profiteering, wealth inequality, the destruction of the planet, among others. Uprising’s commentary on these subjects is as vigorous as the instrumentation, with III pulling zero punches on any level, metastasizing into a brand of punk-inspired black metal that’s monstrously raw.
“Eternal Mantra” begins the record tensely, taking a measured build that leads towards moments of explosiveness via scintillating riffs and dazzling songwriting acumen. W’s effusive roar is rightfully prevalent, carrying hefty emotion in every line. Tackling the subject of the super rich taking advantage of the pandemic to increase their wealth at the expense of everyone else, W screams passionately “Don’t give away 1% of your hoard and call that charity” and “Fuck winning if justice dies.” III oozes focused anger and venom from every pore, resulting in blisteringly vivacious black metal that is an incredibly enjoyable listen.
Lest we forget to mention the inclusion of Panopticon’s Austin Lunn providing the drum work, in what is a rousing, immeasurable performance. One of the highest skilled percussionists in the game, flexing his versatility via pounding pieces of monumental intensity while smoothly transitioning between restrained moments that always enhance the pronounced guitar work. “Uprise III” is one of the better examples of Lunn’s contributions, melding seamlessly with W’s six-stringed rhythmic ferocity and cutting leads. Tracks like “Raise a Glass” are full-on assaults of unbridled vitality and potency, proliferating a speedy tempo to give the listener healthy doses of neck strain in the middle portions of the record.
The album concludes with the pair of “While the World is Burning” and “Brace Yourself” – the former slowing the pace a tad, focusing on big riffage amongst biting commentary, while the latter may be the catchiest and fiercest song W has composed to date. The clean vocalizations – which pop up a few times throughout the album – are especially effective on the closer, driving the mood with utmost emotive heft.
Simply put, Uprising delivers the total package with III. Hard hitting, raging black metal that’s profoundly composed with a ton to say. Take a close look at the cover art by the always impressive Misantrophic-Art; the world burning all around individuals protesting subjects ironically against their own self interest, as the aftermath of which literally destroys everything. If it isn’t obvious by now, Uprising isn’t subtle in any facet. Black metal that revels in evil and existential darkness and horror is a good time indeed, but a sizable dose of thought provocation is quite refreshing to partake in. One will be hard pressed to find black metal with more fire and purpose than III. If Uprising continues upping the ante as they have here, who knows where W will take us next?