Rising back out of the void, French black metallers Seth return after mysteriously dropping out of the scene for nine years. They say that time heals all wounds, but Seth are out to disprove this, returning just as angry, just as evil and with more determination than ever. Having added two new members to the band since 2004’s Era-Decay, their fifth full-length studio album The Howling Spirit (Season Of Mist) contains fresh blood, fresh sounds and fresh ideas, but underneath it all the old ways still reign.
The city of Bordeaux, more famous for its grapes than its metal, is the hometown for this quintet. Like the wines of the region, the band themselves have matured through the years, coming out with a stronger, richer sound. The album mixes Marduk-esque vocals with a slowly evolving melodic backing. This is not the violent and abrasive attack of Panzer Division or Iron Dawn though; there is a more methodical, controlled approach. It is not the sound of war, but a darker, colder force of hatred and the promise of impending destruction.
Much of the modern French scene seems to relish in an avant-garde edge to their sound, and Seth embrace this, while keeping a solid footing in the traditional elements. Perhaps it’s the fact they always bring it back to something relatable but the musical tangents seem to work for the band. The album has a flow through it, a natural progression that many bands experimenting with the techniques don’t seem to achieve.
The Howling Spirit is not an album to be taken lightly, it commands attention throughout, and those who choose not to give it any will get nothing from this album. With every listening there’s something new to discover, something hidden that chooses to rear its head. Seth has returned and with this masterpiece they have shown they are truly ready to take their place back as forerunners in the scene. France once again has its true kings of black metal.
8/10
Caitlin Smith