UMUR "Ulvaja" is an EP release by Finnish death-doom metal act Rippikoulu. The EP was released through Svart Records in June 2014. It´s the band´s comeback release after reuniting earlier that year after originally disbanding in 1999. Rippikoulu formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1995 as the consequence of the death of guitarist Marko Henriksson after releasing two influential death-doom metal demos. After a two year mourning period the band tried to carry on, but they found it impossible without Henriksen and finally officially folded in 1999. Three of the original members of the band who performed on their early 90s demos are part of the reunited Rippikoulu. Drummer Toni Valtanen isn´t part of the reunion though and he has been replaced here by Mikko Ruohonen. The band have opted not to replace Henriksson, and therefore operate as a quartet with only one guitarist.

"Ulvaja" features three tracks and a total playing time of 17:58 minutes. Stylistically it´s the sound of a more mature and contemporary sounding Rippikoulu. It´s still heavy and gloomy death-doom metal with Finnish language lyrics, but it´s quite a bit more epic than the material on the two early 90s demos, which is in large part due to the omnipresent use of atmosphere enhancing keyboards. The growling vocals now also have a blackened edge to them and some of the parts which feature lead guitar lines have a melodic death/black metal touch to them.

The EP features a clear, powerful, and detailed sound production, which suits the material well, and it´s interesting to hear the band´s music in a professional studio recording quality, when for so many years the only recorded material by the band was the two demo tapes from 1992/1993. Personally I think they´ve lost some of their identity with the addition of the keyboards, and I could have wished for a more organic and raw sound, but when that is said "Ulvaja" is still a good quality death-doom metal release with a melancholic epic atmosphere and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Musta seremonia" ("The Black Ceremony") is the second demo recording by Finnish death-doom metal act Rippikoulu. The demo was independently released in 1993 and it would be the band´s last recording before disbanding in 1995 after the death of guitarist Marko Henriksson. After a two year mourning period the band tried to carry on, but they found it impossible without Henriksen and finally officially folded in 1999. They´ve since reunited and have released the "Ulvaja" EP in 2014.

Stylistically the material on "Musta seremonia" continues the ultra heavy death metal/death-doom metal style of the 1992 "Mutaation aiheuttama sisäinen mätäneminen" ("Internal Rotting Caused by Mutation") demo. The songtitles and lyrics are still in the Finnish language, but as the case was on the preceding demo, it doesn´t matter much, as you probably won´t be able to pick out many words as the deep growling vocals are pretty much unintelligible. While Rippikoulu still play some fast-paced, aggressive, and energetic death metal parts, the pendulum has predominantly swung towards the ultra heavy death-doom metal part of their sound. These guys are masters at playing some sludgy brutal death-doom, and while the faster parts are great for the variation of their music, it´s not where they excel.

Featuring six tracks and a total playing time of 31:39 minutes "Musta seremonia" could well have been released a full-length studio album, and the quality of the recording is also close to having the right ingredients for that. It´s pretty raw and unpolished and when the morbid lead guitar parts kick in, the tone isn´t that well sounding, but other than that this could just as well have been released as the band´s debut album. This is a release for those who enjoy their old school death metal with a doomy touch and a gloomy atmosphere. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is well deserved.

UMUR "Mutaation aiheuttama sisäinen mätäneminen" ("Internal Rotting Caused by Mutation") is the first demo recording by Finnish death-doom metal act Rippikoulu. The demo was independently released in 1992. Rippikoulu formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1995 after releasing two influential death-doom metal demos.

It´s not only the title of the demo which is in Finnish. It´s also the songtitles and the lyrics, but it´s the kind of release where it doesn´t matter much because even if you could understand the Finnish language, I´m not sure you´d pick up many of the words sung here. The vocals are unintelligble brutal growling. The music is gloomy, raw, and ultra heavy old school death metal, which at times is so slow that labelling it death-doom metal isn´t all wrong. It´s not doomy all the time time, and Rippikoulu also play some pretty fast-paced death metal parts (listen to "Pimeyden kirous" ("Curse of Darkness") and "Maailma palaa" ("The World is Burning") to hear that).

The arcane and gloomy atmosphere of the demo are the greatest assets of this recording, because the songwriting isn´t particularly memorable and the tracks are also a bit hard to tell apart. The musicianship is pretty strong and the sound production is decent sounding too considering that this is a demo recording. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.