Ukandanz – ‘Evil Plan የክፋት እቅድ’ album review: Expansive Ehtio-jazz meets the hard rock defiance of Black Sabbath

THE SKINNY: Since they first emerged from Birmingham back in 1968, the hard rock anthems of  https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tags/black-sabbath/" rel="nofollow - Black Sabbath  have inspired countless budding rockers all over the globe. The sounds pioneered by Ozzy Osbourne and his band of merry men have been adapted, distorted, and reinvented time and time again, but Evil Plan, the latest record by Ethopia-via-France combo Ukandanz, manages to take the sounds of Sabbath into new and inventive directions. Blending hard rock aggression with the captivating experimentalism of Ethio-jazz and traditional music, the resulting album is as expansive as it is captivating. 

It was back in 2012 that the world was first exposed to the sounds of Ukandanz. Led by Addis Ababa-born vocalist Asnake Gebreyes, the band quickly grew a cult audience for their unique blend of hard rock, avant-jazz, and the  https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/aselefech-ashine-getenesh-kebret-ethiopia-golden-age/" rel="nofollow - vibrant sounds of Ethiopia , which have been ingrained in Gebreyes since his childhood in East Africa. Since then, the band has developed tenfold, with Evil Plan reflecting a band operating at their very best. With polished performances, engaging songwriting, and a sense of spontaneity that keeps the listener gripped, there is very little to criticise about the new album.

Ethiopia has long since boasted one of the most productive and prolific music scenes in the entirety of Africa, with artists like Tlahoun Gessesse,  https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/emahoy-tsegue-maryam-guebrou-ethiopian-nun/" rel="nofollow - Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou , and Hailu Mergia, to name only a few, firmly putting the nation on the musical map. When relocating to France, Gebreyes clearly took those influences with him, to be combined with the rock inspiration of his band. Tracks like ‘Hedech Alu’ bear a particular resemblance to the history of Ethio-jazz, though Ukandanz manage to incorporate their own unique voice into proceedings, too.

A clear stand-out on this annoyingly short album is the second track, a cover of Black Sabbath’s defining protest anthem ‘War Pigs’. Cover songs are never an easy feat to pull off, but Ukandanz tackles the daunting task with effortless grace and cool. Blaring horns add an endearing new layer to the song, which manages to toe the line between faithful homage and complete reinvention – which is certainly not an easy task when it comes to the music of Black Sabbath.

Evil Plan is an album steeped in diverse ideas and, crucially, a deep and passionate love for musical expression. This becomes abundantly clear on the final track, Song For Francis, which pays tribute to Francis Falceto, the man behind the compilation series Éthiopiques, which has been introducing French audiences to incredible Ethiopian music since 1996. In many ways, Evil Plan returns the favour.

For fans of: The ever-elusive Black Sabbath and Tlahoun Gessesse B2B set.

A concluding comment from Ozzy Osbourne: “[Unintellgible].”

Evil Plan የክፋት እቅድ track by track:

Release date: April 11th | Producer: Lucas Garnier and Rémy Deliers | Label: Compagnie 4000

‘Yene Felagote’: Immediately establishing their sonic manifesto, Ukandanz open the album with a deep bass note followed by a captivating sax performance and the infectious vocals of Asnake Gebreyes. Its endearing blend of hard rock and traditional Ethiopian influences sets the stage expertly for the remainder of the record. [4/5]

‘War Pigs’: Ukandanz are certainly not the first group to attempt a cover of Black Sabbath’s pioneering anthem ‘War Pigs’, but nobody has ever done it quite like this before. Opening with blaring horns, the band provide an original take on the protest song, which still feels like a faithful homage to the original. [4.5/5]

‘Liwesdshe Andiken’: Continuing the influence of hard rock and metal, this Ehtio-rock-inspired odyssey is backed with occasional bursts of metal distortion, creating a sound which seems to span both time and borders. [4/5]

‘4 Against The Odds’: Off-beat horns and commanding rhythm, this track is an absolute triumph for the band. Toeing the line between hard rock and Ethio-jazz, every repeated listen reveals something new, and its compelling groove means there will be a whole lot of repeated listens. [5/5]

‘Hedech Alu’: Slowing things down somewhat, Ukandanz emerge from the triumphant chaos of the previous track into something much more intimate and brooding, yet they still manage to retain the excitement and intrigue inherent in the rest of the record. [4/5]

‘Song For Francis’: This album’s final track arrived far too quickly for my liking, but the way in which the band chose to close out Evil Plan cannot be faulted. A tribute to Francis Falceto, the man behind the Éthiopiques series which has helped spread the vibrancy of Ethiopian music across France. As you can expect, the song aims to capture as much of that Ethio goodness as possible. [4.5/5]

from https://faroutmagazine.co.uk