A decade has gone by since Überchriist last checked in with their self-titled debut cassette via Fan Death Records. But the black metal duo featuring Colin Mee (vocals, guitar, and bass) and Shane Patrick (drums, keyboard, and vocals ) brings a combined resume to the group that bridges a much broader swath of time and music in Atlanta. Mee is a former member of post-punk institution Deerhunter, indie rockers Hollow Stars, and heavy metal mashers Chopper. Patrick is the former drummer and co-founder of the confrontational noise rock and post-punk outfits HAWKS, Aku You, and Illegal Drugs.
After so much time in the void, Überchriist returns with Et Veniens, a new four-song EP of riffs and growling antagonism that’s both scorched and chilling on a supernatural level.
In Latin, Et Veniens, means “The Coming.” Here, the title announces the arrival of a more evolved sound and vision, of which these four songs are only the first glimpse. “Colin and I have spent years writing new batches of songs and giving Überchriist a more mature sound,” Patrick says. “We are coming back to the world, and we plan on releasing more material in the near future.”
The songs for the new EP were recorded by Matt Greenia at Diamond Street Studios in Little 5 Points. Kyle Spence (Harvey Milk, Tom Collins, Dinosaur Jr.) mixed and mastered the material at his studio in Athens. The result of their efforts draws out a feeling that is distinctly more demonic than their previous offering. This singular sound—rest assured, it packs a scolding white-hot fist to your mortal soul—makes Et Veniens an ideal second coming. The new songs, featuring titles such as “Sanctuary Defiled,” “Abysmal Despair,” “Ubernaut,” and “Breaking Ov The Light” expand upon the group’s sonic reach with a foreboding haze of haunted animosity.
A new full-length album is lurking out there somewhere in the inky black ether, as Mee and Patrick are working on new material with Spence. Expect more from Überchriist to arrive by next fall/winter. “This is just the beginning,” Patrick says. “We’re showing the universe that we’re back on the map. It is a sign. The coming.”
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