Album Review: Underdark - Managed Decline
Reviewed by Rick Eaglestone
Nottingham’s dynamic post-black metal conjurers Underdark return with their highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s Our Bodies Burned Bright on Re-Entry creating a fierce and immersive narrative for Managed Decline
The album is centralised around a story told over three generations about the degradation experienced by the residents of a post-industrial town in the Midlands and the album’s woeful instrumental opener The Past We Inherit; The Future We Build (28th February 1972) sets an immediate and powerful tone which leads perfectly into the ferocity of the album’s title track Managed Decline (1st April 1988)
Employment (16th June 1993) briefly moves the album into a slower more atmospheric before unleashing a cacophony of savagery but amongst that is the emotion in vocalist Abi’s delivery complimented by different drum patterns and soundscapes.
Vocalist Abi explains this further by saying… “I wanted to explore the long-term effects of Thatcherite neoliberalism and the slow-burning disaster they've caused for people here. Each generation has to make do with less, and turns to more extreme vices to cope as the loss of purpose and community sets in.”
Continuing with Matrimony (27th December 1997) brings with it a nice splash of blackened death which is something Underdark do very well, this also has some strong basslines that come through at varying points. This is followed up by another instrumental track Raised For A World That No Longer Exists which sets up nicely for the third-generation section which begins with Enterprise (1st November 2004) which is by far the albums darkest and most aggressive track.
The album concludes with a sequel to the title track Managed Decline II (2nd November 2004) coming in at just over eight minutes allows Underdark to fully showcase their collective musicianship closing this story with an ending of semi-hope and symbolism whilst giving the listener to reflect on the album’s journey and message.
Managed Decline is most certainly a release that you will find yourself coming back to and take something different from each time, the subject matters covered over the three decades are well delivered and poignant and the further you delve into this the more immersive it becomes.
