Review by Felix on June 3, 2026.

...and once again the mountain calls. Let us follow DauÞuz into its very heart. It is cold, damp and dark, of course, but it is also very dramatic. DauÞuz offer a forgotten story from Joachimsthal, were German prisoners of war and civilians had to work under inhuman conditions for the Communist regime. Between 1945 and 1964 suffered more than 300.000 workers and as far as I can see, roughly one in two of them did not survive. So we have a regional focus, a cruel, spooky topic, mother-tongue singing and a band that has already proven its outstanding skills. All requirements for another great black metal work are given – what can go wrong?

I guess the only thing that is out of order is the balance between the total volume of good metal and my time capacities. Otherwise I have no explanation why I missed "Uranium" – its predecessor was fantastic and the same goes for its successor "Todeswerk: Uranium II". Okay, in terms of style, not much (or maybe even nothing) has changed. The Germans play melodic and epic, but also vehement and intense black metal with typical, cold lines as well as titanic outbursts of power. Even the scheme of the album is more or less identical with the one of "Vom Schwarzen Schmied". In the third and sixth positions there are short, introverted interludes; the remaining six positions feature a full metallic sound. By the way, one of the strengths of DauÞuz is their ability to blend calm and loud, extroverted elements. Maybe it is true that there is no shortcut to success, but these musicians know the shortcut to grandeur and drama.

Admittedly, due to a mild form of artistic stagnation, the wow effect of previous works does not show up again. However, the music does not fall short of its purpose. The listener can let their mind wander and lose themselves completely in the music and / or the mountain. The excellent production delivers the warm embrace. "Todeswerk: Uranium II" does not attack with a raw technical execution. What we get is a pretty smooth yet never toothless sound, well-balanced and highly professional. Having said this, it does not surprise that the songs shine in all their glory. It is true, however, that the album fails to maintain the standard set at the beginning. But both "Joachimsthal / Jáchymov" and "Uranlager I" are close to perfection and so the following tracks are by no means weak, only because they don't measure up with the double strike at the beginning. Maybe "Hammerzwang" is even one of the best, spookiest intermezzos of the band so far.

Regardless of the quality of the individual tracks, one thing is certain. DauÞuz are able to arrange flawlessly flowing songs. Perhaps they emphasize their melodies a bit too much with the frequent "ohoho" background vocals, but this is no big thing at the end of the day. So all I can say is that the duo (and session drummer Werwolf) presents a very personal form of black metal. "Todeswerk: Uranium II" is melodic, grim, heroic and symphonic, while the very interesting lyrics remain of the fact that the communistic ideology is no way better than any other. A truth that, at least in my country, people tend to forget. But let's keep politics and music separate – those who lend an ear to the album will enjoy it.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Jeger on July 5, 2026.

Every once in a Blue Moon as they say, a Black Metal band comes along that independently makes a silent impact on the scene: silent but deeply profound for those of us who happen to be in the know. The band doesn't necessarily adhere to any set of genre conventions and yet their sound still resonates with a sense of pitch black familiarity. Elite is the word and Norway's Sworn have arrived with benefactions of the elite variety, for on September 4, they will unveil their latest offering, "Null Crowned The Infinite" independently. Physical copies are being distributed by The Circle Music.

A genre of BM dominated by the Swedes? Absolutely, but there's been little in the way of competition until fairly recently. What was once a seemingly lost art has received the Royal treatment - Melodic Black Metal - conceived the Sverige way and perfected by bands like Sworn who've never strayed the path, but have only begun to receive their proper kudos as of late. Well, roll out the Red Carpet because statements are about to be made, claims staked and minds blown…

The intent? To conceptualize the beginning of all things - the terrifying scale of the Cosmos and the fragility of life as it's extinguished and returned once more to a primordial state, and to musically adapt a sound that not only delivers every trace element of what we've come to love about Sworn, but also one that pushes the limits of their established creative modus operandi. Achieved… The chilling opening moments of track one, "The Starless Origin", are temped yet humming with vibrancy like the energy that precedes the birthing of a Star, and then the mood is set; a melancholy sort of awakening into being as the rhythms pace upward gradually along with the assured consistency of every gentle yet defined guitar riff. An engineering specimen! Produced by Jens Bogren, and hats off to him - one of the all-timers and Fascination Street Studios for producing an album that conveys a sound worthy of Sworn.

Upon exodus from what was the lengthiest track ever recorded by Sworn, you'll take in the definitive title-track. This one most definitely feels like the product of band pedigree. If one were to ask me to play them any track by Sworn, it would be this one - the apotheosis of band development: the textbook Sworn nature of it, but also the never-before-heard levels of strength in sound that fuel every second. A sonic fortress of world-beating Melodic Black Metal.

"Cosmic Storm" - marching on in soldierly rhythm into the mouth of this Black Metal Event Horizon now - far too late for any type of return and why would you? This is why we do this, why we even give contemporary BM a chance, because we could run into an album as worthwhile as "Null Crowned The Infinite". Track four, the brutal "Fracture Of Aeons", is as close to Death Metal as this band has ever ventured and is it ever a spellbinding experience. The way the savagery of the track's first couple of minutes abruptly, but without seam, transitions into such a gripping sequence of scaling melodic riffs before the Blackened DM carnage ensues one final time.

Every member of this band shines, from the unpredictably frenetic yet air-tight and fluid nature of Tom Ian Klungland's drumming to Christoffer Kjørsvik and Gøran Hope's enthralling guitar/bass contributions and of course Max Wilson's genre-defining vocals. A total package Black Metal album from top to bottom, the kind of stuff you wait around all year for and it's done with dignity, integrity and total class. These guys could be enjoying the cushy support of a Major Record Label, but alas! It's genuine artistry and the rejection of the status-quo that will see our Norse friends off into the kind of future that is worthy of the genre. It was never meant to be a mainstream endeavor anyway, so it's Sworn who are once again raising the flag for Black Metal legitimacy o'er the Land of the Midnight Sun. You've got a couple months to wait for this opus. Until then…

Rating: 10 out of 10