UZALA - Live At Roadburn 2015

Limited vinyl edition of 300 copies on white black and brown vinyl. Just because Northwestern doom band Uzala have female vocals in front does not make them anything like buzz-band Windhand. Uzala's approach is far more sinister, going less the bluesy route and instead straight for the jugular with pained, noisy riffs beneath Darcy Nutt's ominous voice. (Noisey) Across the span, Uzala dole out churning riffs and slow-crawling malevolence, as Nutt recounts various medieval terrors, her voice cutting through the tonal morass of her bass and Remainsguitar, all poise and zero posturing, the overarching lurch of "Countess" from 2013's Tales of Blood and Fire setting the bar high as the set-opener for what's to follow. In their momentum, in their engagement with the crowd and in the dark red sense of psychedelia they brought to their material even on the stage, how raw it both was and wasn't, Uzala delivered one of that weekend's most memorable sets. Not everyone who listens to Live at Roadburn MMXV will have that associative framework - i.e. they won't all have been there - but I think the set stands up even if you didn't happen to be in front of the Green Room stage letting it punch you in the face. (The Obelisk) Record Label: Roadburn Records Style: Rock/Metal