The Ugly seems like a poor name for a black metal band and the incongruous logo certainly doesn’t help the first impressions.
Still, a rose by any other name and all that, and Decreation proves itself to be an enjoyable, though far from groundbreaking, slice of Swedish brutality.
Tight, chunky and meaty, it is very much the sound of the 00s, bringing to mind a range of outfits from Endstille to latter-day Dark Funeral. Marduk are also occasionally a valid comparison, and the fact that the two bands share a drummer is reflected in the percussive onslaught that backs the mix of groove-laced hooks and icy Swedish riffing. What it lacks in comparison to the latter is atmosphere – aggression is the key here even if the apocalyptic lyrics give a touch of darkness to proceedings. Decreation is hard to fault, yet one that, by definition, is unable to attain anything approaching ‘classic’ status, being perfectly executed but also, by definition, rather generic.
