The U.S. quartet black metal band Uada, which is a Latin word for Haunted, returns with a stellar record. Only two years after debuting Devoid of Light the band once again renew their vows through the sophomore album entitled Cult of A Dying Sun. Uada is a band that has been reputed for being Mgla clones, as many critics have mistakenly judged the band when the first album Devoid of Light was released. I personally did not follow such arguments which were related to the originality of Uada, though I perceive the similarities to the Polish black metal band Mgla, and in my humble opinion they dress the same but sound very differently from each other. And somehow I ended up resisting the hype over their album and instead of buying the album I decided to give the band another chance while keeping a close eye on them. And upon the usual promotional advertisement which followed the release of their new studio album I gave my full interest to the premiered tracks for the purpose of hearing with concentration, to grasp its musical contents. With Cult of A Dying Sun Uada continues to embrace the classic essence of the 90’s black metal a la Dissection, the aggressive form of melodic black metal riffs are presented with powerful tunes of tremolo pickings. Seven tracks with a total running time of 56 minutes are guaranteed to enthral the listener with superb performance of quality.

Uada is experienced in capturing the spirit of that typical Scandinavian black metal. The sheer  amount of melodies emanates with the grand opener The Purging Fire, the unique approach of redefining the Cascadian black metal music reflects on the melodious riffs and the storming blast beats. Vocalist and guitarist Jake Superchi acts like a harmonious instrument itself and they are fashioned with the pitch black metal shrills with several vocal abilities from low growls to haunting shrieks. The band displays a unique form of cohesion. The second track Snakes & Vultures, which was premiered a few days before the release date of this album, is another epic song lasting for nine minutes long. Uada have created an exceptional formula which is based on vivid melodies, forming euphonic patterns driven with powerful and rapid tremolo pickings. The new album is loaded with varied melodies and rhythmical arrangements which adds more diversity.

Uada perfects their identity by sounding raw, aggressive and melodic at the same time. This specific style has transformed them into one of the most respectable  black metal bands to rise from the USA. Furthermore, their musical progression has lot of similarities to the Swedish black metal bands. And such influence is translated to considerable amounts of tremolo pickings, mixing the slow parts with fast tempo and thunderous blast beats including the solos and the lead guitars which appear on the track Cult Of A Dying Sun. This mid pacing song is another outstanding musical work of emotional impact. Uada draws their inspiration from mother nature, therefore they have the full capability of crafting depressive soundscapes. The beautiful instrumental track The Wanderer features some fine acoustic tunes.

Blood Sand Ash is another great track which isn’t devoid of any melodic riffs, James Sloan the guitarist and Jake Superchi idealize their vision in showing that the band has been insightful in introducing new elements to the music. Take for example the use of piano passages on Sphere (Imprisonment). The several tempo changes from slow pacing to sudden blast beats have the blueprints of Dissection and  Naglfar. Mirrors might be the longest track on this album, yet each track is crafted with excellent black metal riffs, in fact the final track stands as one of the best songs that brings the rawness and aggression, in contrast with the rhythmic guitars. The haunting vocals play a big role in imbuing the final track with a blackened feel, almost cascading with melodies of darker kinds. The cover art of the album was created by the famous artist Kris Verwimp who has designed many album covers including logos for bands such as Absu, Dark Fortress, Horna, Lord Belial, Old Man’s Child and many more. Cult Of A Dying Sun is a successful successor to Devoid of Light, and it’s available in all musical formats, the first press cd comes with a beautiful deluxe slipcase. Uada have produced an infectious record of catchy melodies by finding common grounds between the 90’s black metal and the modern flairs.

Release Date : May 25th, 2018
Label : Eisenwald
Track list :
1.The Purging Fire
2.Snakes & Vultures
3.Cult of a Dying Sun
4.The Wanderer
5.Blood Sand Ash
6.Sphere (Imprisonment)
7.Mirrors