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Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkem#UNCHURCH. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky
Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkem#UNCHURCH. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky

pondělí 19. ledna 2026

Recenze/review - UNCHURCH - Unchurch (2025)


UNCHURCH - Unchurch
CD 2025, Chaos Records

for english please scroll down

Pokaždé, když jsem šel okolo, tak jsem měl divný pocit kolem žaludku. Jakoby se ve mě začal šířit pach rozkládajících se těl. Něco zkaženého bylo ve vzduchu, sirnatého, zlého. Navenek vypadalo vše jako vždycky. Malý kostel v horách, u něj hřbitov a na něm pohřbení prokletí mniši. Nic neobvyklého. Až do dnešní noci, kdy byl jeden hrob vyrabován. Nebo ne? Nestojí náhodou někdo ve stínu? Nesměje se jedovatě? Nemá v rukou nůž a v očích nenávist? Poslední, co si pamatuji, tak je rozšklebená tvář démona.

Chile je poslední dobou země, kterou se, pokud posloucháte death metal, vyplatí rozhodně sledovat. Skvělá alba nevydávají jenom staří bardi a veteráni, ale vzniká i spousta nových kapel, které pokračují v nekonečné cestě utrpení, zla, hudební špíny a beznaděje. UNCHURCH patří mezi ně. Mezi vyvolené a prokleté. Alespoň takto vnímám jejich debutové album já, starý pes, který hlídá vchod do podzemí již od devadesátých let minulého století. 


Určitě znáte ten pocit, když si poslechnete nějakou nahrávku poprvé a ona vás smete z povrchu zemského. Téhle smečce démonů se to povedlo. Jsou divocí, nespoutaní, technicky velmi zdatní a umí perfektně zkombinovat syrovost, tlak a absolutní tmu v jeden zabijácký celek. Ano, nové stejnojmenné album hoří zevnitř, rozseká vás na kusy a pohřbí zaživa. Za velmi povedený považuji zvuk (Rod - recording mixing, mastering), motiv na obalu (Daniel Hermosilla), ale hlavně skladby samotné, které obsahují potřebný drive a sílu, takové to "nepříjemné" chvění, které v sobě má dobrý smrtící kov mít. Líbí se mi rukopis těchto démonů, jejich schopnost napsat dobré motivy. Chilané se volně inspirovali u kapel typu IMMOLATION, NILE, MORBID ANGEL, OBSCENITY, MONSTROSITY, HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL. Dělají to ale s vkusem, nadhledem a schopností zaujmout svými nápady a invencí. UNCHURCH na to jdou navíc opravdově, uvěřitelně, autenticky, každá skladba je ostrým nožem, který vám zajede do vnitřností. Jako bychom spolu s kapelou opravdu exhumovali nějaký starý hrob padlého kněze, který za svého života páchal děsivé a nechutné věci. Jeho činy a atmosféra exhumace se promítly i do jednotlivých skladeb. Hlavní a zásadní pro mě je potom to, že mě baví se k albu vracet a rvát si ho stále dokola pod tlakem do hlavy. Pořád rád a s chutí objevují nové smečky, které pochopily pravého ducha tohoto stylu a tahle kapela se pro mě stala velkým překvapením minulého roku. Doporučuji poslech v naprosté tmě, chladu, nejlépe na malém hřbitově u znesvěceného kostela. Surový, zničující, temný a chladný death metal ze starých katakomb kolem kterého se vznáší krvavá aura!


Asphyx says:

Every time I walked past, I had a strange feeling in my stomach. It was as if the smell of decomposing bodies was spreading inside me. Something rotten was in the air, sulfurous, evil. Outwardly, everything looked the same as always. A small church in the mountains, a cemetery next to it, and the cursed monks buried there. Nothing unusual. Until tonight, when one grave was robbed. Or was it? Isn't someone standing in the shadows? Smiling maliciously? Holding a knife in their hands and hatred in their eyes? The last thing I remember is the grinning face of a demon.

Chile is a country that, if you listen to death metal, is definitely worth keeping an eye on these days. Great albums are not only released by old bards and veterans, but there are also a lot of new bands emerging that continue the endless journey of suffering, evil, musical filth, and hopelessness. UNCHURCH is one of them. Among the chosen and the damned. At least that's how I, an old dog who has been guarding the entrance to the underground since the 1990s, perceive their debut album. 


You surely know the feeling when you listen to a recording for the first time and it blows you away. This pack of demons has managed to do just that. They are wild, unrestrained, technically very skilled, and know how to perfectly combine rawness, pressure, and absolute darkness into one killer whole. Yes, the new album of the same name burns from within, tears you to pieces, and buries you alive. I consider the sound (Rod - recording, mixing, mastering), the cover art (Daniel Hermosilla), but mainly the songs themselves, which contain the necessary drive and power, that "unpleasant" vibration that good death metal should have, to be very well done. I like the style of these demons, their ability to write good motifs. The Chileans were loosely inspired by bands such as IMMOLATION, NILE, MORBID ANGEL, OBSCENITY, MONSTROSITY, HATE ETERNAL, and MORBID ANGEL. However, they do it with taste, perspective, and the ability to captivate with their ideas and inventiveness. UNCHURCH also approach it in a genuine, credible, and authentic way; each song is a sharp knife that cuts into your guts. It's as if we, together with the band, had actually exhumed the grave of a fallen priest who had committed terrible and disgusting acts during his lifetime. His deeds and the atmosphere of the exhumation are reflected in the individual songs. The main and most important thing for me is that I enjoy returning to the album and playing it over and over again at full volume. I always enjoy discovering new bands that understand the true spirit of this style, and this band was a big surprise for me last year. I recommend listening to it in complete darkness, in the cold, preferably in a small cemetery next to a desecrated church. Raw, devastating, dark, and cold death metal from the old catacombs, surrounded by a bloody aura!


tracklist:
01. Ode To Blasphemy 
02. Traitor 
03. Unchurch 
04. Pilgrimage To Abyss 
05. Al Infierno No Entras 
06. Stone The Repentants 
07. No Eres Dios 
08. Outcast From The Eden 
09. Sacred Chalice

A few questions - interview with death metal band from Chile - UNCHURCH.


A few questions - interview with death metal band from Chile - UNCHURCH.

Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?

Ave for you as well.

We started playing together in 2022, after deciding to form a band. Since the three of us had good experiences playing together in previous bands, we got in touch, and our first sessions began in December of that year. From the start, we naturally gravitated towards playing classic death metal, almost unconsciously, always using and developing diverse playing techniques. These techniques gave us our own unique language, allowing us to gradually shape our style and find the path we wanted to follow.

Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?

We recorded our current LP mostly at our guitarist Rod's GSR Studios, while the drums were recorded at Nihil Studios, both in Santiago, Chile. Rod also handled the mixing and mastering. We didn't use triggers on the drums, nor samplers; the guitars were recorded with a real amplifier, a Peavey 5150II, and a BOSS SD1 pedal. We always strive to make everything sound as organic as possible.


How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?

By now, our LP has been released digitally through various platforms, including Bandcamp, YouTube, and Spotify. It has also been released in two physical formats: CDs and cassettes. The cassettes were pressed in a limited run of 50 copies in Chile by Proglótida Grávida, while the CD was pressed in a limited run of 300 copies by the Mexican label Chaos Records. A vinyl edition and a cassette edition are also planned for release by the same label, with both expected around mid-2026.

Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?

The lyrics are written by Rod and Cram, and address various themes related to existence and our vision of the universe, particularly the refutation of Christianity and its fallacies, as well as all forms of human weakness from a metaphorical point of view, which translates into a strong critique of harboring religious beliefs, adhering to churches and hiding behind them, instead of cultivating oneself individually and properly through knowledge and the search for the greatest personal mental and physical strength.


Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?

The logo was created through a collaborative effort between Cram, who made the initial sketch; designer and tattoo artist Adrian Bascur, who digitized and refined it; and Rod, who made the final adjustments.

Regarding social media, we consider it a useful tool for promoting and reaching our music. It also allows us to stay in touch with other producers and people in the industry interested in our art.

Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takés care about you?

The label responsible for releasing our LP on CD was Chaos Records in Mexico, who have widely distributed our work through various websites and zines dedicated to extreme metal. While we've had some setbacks in receiving our CD copies in Chile, we hope to continue improving and growing in these areas. In Chile, the label Proglótida Grávida released a cassette edition, which has become quite popular, and thanks to the work of this Chilean label, we've also been able to reach various metal-focused sites like ours.


Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?

Our undeniable influences include Morbid Angel, Deicide, Death, and other death metal classics. However, the three of us also listen to other musical styles outside of metal, such as classical music, classic rock, and other influences that shape how we make our music.

Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?

Yes, we sent proposals to various labels around the world, many of whom expressed immediate and strong interest in releasing our LP. Some others also expressed their appreciation for our work but couldn't take on the project right away due to time constraints. Ultimately, we chose the option that seemed best to us: Chaos Records.


How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?

For now, we play at various venues that invite us, where we evaluate the technical and identity aspects of the event, but we don't discriminate between venues and festivals. We really enjoy playing live, so we're always open to offers.

What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?

Our goals are to continue playing devastating death metal, composing and creating new works, playing live, and continuing to project our message of death musically with the band.

How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?

Our email address is unchurchmetal@gmail.com, we also have accounts on Instagram and Facebook, as well as a YouTube channel, through which people contact us.

Thanx for the interview.





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