Ucházím/Black Spirit Rose – Split

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s some damn good punk coming out of Czeck thanks to Papagájův Hlasatel Records.  Granted it isn’t all as superb as I might tote.  Having come from just reviewing Climax’s rather underwhelmingly chaos-punk outing, Zločin bez trestu, my feelings towards the label were uncharacteristically sour.  But then I gave the new split from Ucházím and Black Spirit Rose a whirl.

Ucházím kicks off the disc with a rather thrashy dose of minimalist punk but quickly evolves into something deeper.  The opening track’s sickeningly fast and complex solos were so far beyond those of Climax that is helped me justify the negative remarks made in that previous review.  Ucházím has a lot of personality – between the dark, gruff, borderline growl of vocalist “Payya” and the fuzzy, crunching riffs during slower moments; the band has unique interpretation of metalcore.  Tracks like “jak rvou ovce” bounce between thick, bass-heavy breakdowns and fiercely belted lyrics.  Considering the band shares the split with their extremely devoted anti-fascist scenemates, they likely mean every word.  Overall Ucházím’s contributions are varied and inventive.  Three covers from various Czech hardcore legends make up their six tracks, but all six come together naturally and feel entirely their own.

Considering I was already on quite a high after listening to Ucházím, I’m surprised how much more I found myself enjoying the Black Spirit Rose.  The Black Spirit Rose is far more melodic and even darker than anything by Ucházím, making it a natural companion for the split’s concluding half.  Black Spirit Rose feels so dark that they project a certain “horror” essence – much in the vein of Poland’s gothic horror punks Miguel & The Living Dead.  The band’s lead vocalist brings an ominous, echoic quality to each track.  The odd inclusion of a lone jazz saxophone – the type that characterized cheesy 80’s and 90’s prime time dramas – and uncommon percussive instruments further enhance the album’s dark, doomed feel.  Truth be told, I’ve never come across quite such a combination.  But it all plays out so well that I don’t even care that I basically just referenced Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210.

Placing Ucházím and Black Spirit Rose together for a split was a fantastic idea.  Together they make a showcase for an original take on gothic punk not typically experienced on this side of the Atlantic.  If asked to choose a favourite side for the split, I don’t think I could choose.  Both bands explore dark themes from a different style, making them each other’s perfect compliment.  Unfortunately the split lacks the English translations that have recently come to characterize Papagájův Hlasatel Records releases, but that’s a minor and inconsequential gripe.  The North American goth scene should take note.