Ural Umbo was formed in 2008 by Reto Mäder (Bern/Switzerland) and Steven Hess (Chicago/USA).

They cannot conceal their love for the modern forms of Doom and Black Metal. Still, they are far away from just adding another part to the Experimental Metal or Drone Doom catalogue. They rather focus on film score-ish compositions, bizzare atmospheres and haunting melodies coming from somewhere beyond, plus they use a broad spectrum of instruments instead of limiting themselves to downtuned metal guitars or sluggish drums.

Reto Mäder works solo as RM74 and also in the groups Sum Of R and Pendulum Nisum. In 2006 he collaborated with Ralf Wehowsky/RLW for the Crouton release Pirouetten. He produced albums for Rhys Chatham (The Bern Project, 2009) and for Herpes Ö DeLuxe (Kielholen, 2007). Reto Mäder has run the label Hinterzimmer Records together with Roger Ziegler until the end of 2011.

Steven Hess performs with Haptic, On, Locrian as well as solo. He collaborated with the likes of Stefan Németh, Pan American, Christian Fennesz, Robert Hampson, Helge Sten, Martin Seiwert, Greg Davis, Machinefabriek, Jon Mueller and appeared on recordings by Dropp Ensemble, David Daniell + Douglas McCombs, Male, Sylvain Chauveau and Fessenden to name a few.