Bristol sludge metal band Urzah announce new album "A Tranquil Void"
Formed in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, Urzah’s intensely collaborative and productive writing process was immediately evident, leading to the quick release of self-titled EPs ‘I’ (2020) and ‘II’ (2022). These laid the foundation for Urzah’s unique brand of ‘progressive sludge’. Inviting comparisons to Neurosis, DVNE, Mastodon and Elder, their forward-looking sound combines the abrasive elements of punk and post-hardcore with atmospheric post-metal passages and soaring melodies.
Urzah’s vision of ‘Earthen Heaviness’, combining oppressive darkness with moments of transcendence and cosmic awe, was realised on their critically acclaimed debut LP “The Scorching Gaze” (2024, APF Records). The band’s sonic world draws on both the intensely personal – rage, loss, grief and self-doubt – and a profound awe and vulnerability in the face of the celestial and natural worlds, framing visceral human struggle within vast cycles of death, decay and rebirth.
Since their debut, Urzah has refined their live shows across the UK, playing festivals and headline shows, and sharing stages with a diverse roster of heavy bands including Bongzilla, Tuskar, Mastiff, Greenleaf, OHHMS and Dopelord, as well as progressive atmospheric bands such as Hidden Mothers, Underdark and Nadja, demonstrating their strong cross-genre appeal.
The band recently announced that they are set to release new LP “A Tranquil Void” on 5th June 2026 via APF Records. The record marks a defining moment for the band, following up their critically acclaimed debut “A Scorching Gaze” (2024, APF) with an even more assured, mature and ambitious full-length. Conceptually, “The Scorching Gaze” and “A Tranquil Void” function as a visual, musical and thematic diptych; where their debut burned brightly with the rage and destruction of an erupting volcano, their new LP captures the cathartic, contemplative still that follows.
Tom McElveen (vocals/guitar) comments on 3rd single The Call Beneath, “this track is about dealing with grief for the first time, and letting yourself be pulled into its depths so the earlier version of yourself can die and a new one can be reborn and ‘rise to the surface’. This process can only happen when you stop resisting it. We play with dynamics and moving time signatures to build and rebuild tension, taking us through to the final cathartic stage of rebirth at the pinnacle.”
You can listen to The Call Beneath on your preferred service HERE, and watch the video on YouTube below:
Across 8 tracks, “A Tranquil Void” pushes Urzah’s sound even further, combining brutal riffs, complicated meter and searing guitar tone with deeper explorations of space, dynamics and atmosphere, incorporating folk influences and drones built from cello and guitar. 13-minute album closer Entwined, Twisted Roots of Chaos sees Urzah at their most ambitious; across multiple interlocking sections, enriched by guest vocals from friends in the Bristol scene, the song builds from a haunting whisper to a planet-obliterating roar.
“A Tranquil Void” Tracklist
1. At the Mouth of the Cave
2. The Call Beneath
4. Infernal Star II
5. Bark & Branches
6. In the Mouth of the Wolf
7. Hunter in the Veil
8. Entwined, Twisted Roots of Chaos
Recorded at Stage 2 Studios, Bath, in November 2025, the LP was produced, mixed and mastered by Josh Gallop. Cello was provided by Luke Clemenger, with additional vocals from Dave Cook (Empire of Dust), Chris Wilson (Row of Ashes) and Victoria Bourne (The Spark’s Desire). The album artwork was created by Indonesian artist Putra Satria Nugraha.
“A Tranquil Void” is out on 5th June 2026 via APF Records and available to buy HERE.
Photo (c) Naomi Jane Photography
To celebrate the release of their new album, Urzah are hosting a launch party at Exchange Bristol (main room) on Saturday 25th July with special guests Hundred Year Old Man, Mountainscape and Dead Space Chamber Music.
Urzah are proud to be part of Bristol’s thriving and diverse music scene, so this specially curated line-up is intended to showcase the best cutting-edge, genre-defying and progressive heavy music.
This immersive, atmospheric and crushingly heavy night will feature experimental gothic doom from Dead Space Chamber Music (Bristol), soaring cinematic post-metal from Mountainscape (Reading), crushing atmospheric post-metal from Hundred Year Old Man (Leeds), and brand-new material from Urzah’s long-awaited sophomore album “A Tranquil Void”.
Full list of Urzah live dates for summer 2026
Saturday 23rd May - Bristol, Loco Klub (Temple of Doom festival)
Friday 29th May - Bath, The Bell
Wednesday 10th June - Portsmouth, Edge of the Wedge
Thursday 11th June - Brighton, The Pipeline
Friday 12th June - Kent, Poco Loco, Chatham
Saturday 13th June - London, The Devonshire Arms, Camden
Friday June 26th - Newport, McCann's Rock N Ale Bar
Sunday June 28th - Torquay, Arena
Saturday 25th July - Bristol Album Launch Party, Exchange
Saturday 1st August - Chelmsford - Bay Days Festival
