Purveyors of the finest mining themed black metal, Dauþuz, return with their new album; Todeswerk: Uranium II.

DAUÞUZ

Dauþuz are a band I have followed closely; well, for one album at least. The German duo, consisting of Aragonyth and Syderyth on vocals, have created a genuinely unique corner of black metal since forming in 2016. Their lyrical concept is rooted in the history of mining in Germany, filled with mining terminology, real historical events and a touch of folklore.

Todeswerk: Uranium II is a step further into the mines, so to speak, and it should appeal to anyone who appreciates a little variety in their black metal. This is not a cosplay album, it is a genuinely solid record with real artistic weight behind it. The album turns its gaze toward the tormented forced labourers and victims in the Joachimsthal region and Bohemia, bringing to light the inhuman conditions in the mines and camps operated by the Soviets and later the Communists, and the slow decay of an entire landscape.

The opening track, Joachimsthal / Jáchymov, is an excellent statement of intent. It begins with a delicate combination of acoustic guitar and violin before slowly building pace into a fury, the vocals shriek through with real vengeance over deep tremolo guitars, while the drums anchor the track across dramatic shifts in tempo. The chants evoke what one imagines miners might have voiced in this grim, fantastical setting, and they serve to break the track into distinct movements.

URANLAGER I

Uranlager I carries on where we left off, entering with chants that feel like a working voice. The piercing vocals return, there is a satisfying glide to the riffing throughout, and the melody is genuinely infectious, leading naturally into a standout middle section. The chorus is strong. It may be my favourite track on the album.

Der Turm des Todes opens with a dramatic operatic organ before the band unleashes what is perhaps the album’s most galloping, heavy metal-influenced moment. This is where the versatility of Dauþuz really shines, the track’s ending is especially dramatic, and it reinforces the sense that this would be an extraordinary live band. I would personally place their music in a mix of Forteresse and Ungfell.

MENACING & FEROCIOUS

One of the more intriguing tracks on an intriguing album is 211947. It opens with a haunting, eerie minute or so of atmosphere before those buzzy riffs return and encapsulate everything the album does into a single piece. Subtle synths run beneath the surface, offering a contrast to the surrounding aggression that feels earned rather than decorative. It is a cinematic album throughout, and the closing track illustrates this beautifully, a fitting end that confirms the record’s strong sense of flow from beginning to end.

Todeswerk: Uranium II is menacing, ferocious, and, beneath all of that, quite melodic. Syderyth’s vocal performance, alternating between deeper roars, shrieks and chants, is one of the band’s greatest strengths, giving the music real dynamic range while fitting perfectly with the subject matter. There is a layer of beauty to what is otherwise a berserk album, and I believe it is better than the first instalment of the Uranium series.

Dauþuz: Bandcamp 

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