Yussuf Jerusalem - A Heart Full Of Sorrow

Yussuf Jerusalem - We Ain't Coming Back


Sticking with the metal theme for now ('cause it's been so long since I posted any before that Turisas record), I found this little gem by a guy/band named Yussuf Jerusalem on the infinitely wonderful Champagne and it kills.

A Heart Full Of Sorrow starts out filthy and balls to the wall. It's crazy intense right from the start but only lasts for the first song. Then it turns into some folky bedroom stuff. It's really lo-fi, driven by a drum machine and grainy guitars. Was this guy really just screeching like a demon? Now he's sounds like a regular dude.

It's got hints of old fashioned punk ("Greetings From Novi Sad") and pop ("We Ain't Coming Back") as well as the folk, but somehow it all fits together. It's all pretty lo-fi and dirty, but the only straight up metal track is that first one. It's actually pretty confusing to me because I get totally lost when listening to Sorrow. For some reason, I inevitably end up spacing out/paying attention to something else and I forget that I first put on a black metal record.

If it wasn't for the first song, I would never guess that Yussuf Jerusalem makes black metal. But I feel like they put that song on Sorrow first to set the mood and make sure everyone knew that they're a black metal band. That's kind of cheating, I know, especially because the rest of the record sounds nothing even remotely like metal. But at the same time, I think black metal is really breaking all boundaries lately and can take on any form it wants. I'm pretty sure I don't care if Yussuf Jerusalem are the "real deal" or not. Their music kicks ass and that's enough.