Short Reviews [Uncanny - 2016 - "Uncanny"]

The Norwegian threesome UNCANNY was formed a few years ago; originally based in Northern Norway, they are now operating from capital city Oslo. They self-released their four-track debut EP digitally in the spring of 2016. In four tracks and a bit over 20 minutes the trio provides us with a quirky and rather challenging take on a kind of music that alternates between rock and metal in a fairly innovative manner. Hard, Americana-oriented instrumental details as if pulled from a horror version of American Gothic, intensely appealing vibrant bass and riff cascades that point back to at least some stoner rock knowledge, intense riff escapades that indicate the same about black metal, but also delicate features with more of a psychedelic or post-rock source of inspiration. With third track U Will Fail, with its mystical moods and female vocalist, as the personal highlight for me, probably because it does have a few shades of the sound of a band like The 3rd And The Mortal incorporated in the mix. If dark, intricate and at times fairly challenging music that draws upon both rock, hard rock and metal, with a few intense and perhaps even extreme oddities thrown in for good measure, sounds like a good thing for you, then this mostly instrumental EP should be worth getting familiar with.