The upyr is simply one of the many names for the leper, vaper, platenik or, if we should make things easier for you – the naughty vampire that infests the folk tales of all Balkan peoples.

With this we simply wish to demonstrate how well educated we are, for in fact the guys from UPYR are not really going through old books filled with Bulgarian folk tales, looking for inspiration.

They are, however, clearly harkening to the good old extreme metal classics produced in Western and Northern Europe.

Yes, ‘Аltars/Tunnels’ is all about doom and gloom but also about death and black metal. It’s brimful of eldritch atmosphere, the tracks are of epic length (all going beyond the 9-minute mark), the riffs are heavy and hypnotically repetitive, while the vocals of Boro Brodnik (from the Sofia hardcore crew Melekh) go from deathly growl to low shrieks and even Aaron Stainthorpe style narration.

Overall, ‘Before the Altars of Necrotic Karma’ and ‘Into the Tunnels of My Sleep’ are quite obviously influenced by early British doomsters (think My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost) as well as more extreme funeral acts like Esoteric and Urna.

Still, even though this is merely an EP, ‘Аltars/Tunnels’ comes off as a varied and dynamic beast. For, hidden between the metallic pieces, hides ‘Hymn to Pan’ – a psychedelic poetic reading (after an Aleister Crowley poem) that reminds us strongly of those old chaps from Endvra.
All in all, it’s been a while since we heard a Bulgarian demo recording holding as much promise as Upyr’s first release.

P.S. ‘Аltars/Tunnels’ is released in all sorts of formats – mp3/FLAC at upyr.bandcamp.com, as well as on MC and CD that could be ordered directly from the band.