Québécois Black Metallers Délétère have often had an air of mystique and the outrageous in their cannon, and the overriding narrative of latest album De Horae Leprae (Sepulchral Productions) is arguably more conceptual, with it being devoted to “Teredinis, a simple leper whose calling it is to become a prophet of Centipedes, as well as an incarnation of the Plague.” With such a vivid and eccentric conceptual idea behind it, its surprising to note that De Horae Leprae is a comparatively simplistic listen, albeit one with plenty of wealth.Continue reading
On the wide and incredibly varied spectrum of black metal, Gris fall under the “exquisite, spacious and atmospheric” variety. They’re commonly labelled as a depressive suicidal black metal (DSBM) band, but on this album they display far more experimentation, especially given the expansive non black-metal sections, than many of their peers. The first track, ‘L’Aube’, is a breathtakingly beautiful piece, primarily comprised of gently plucked acoustic guitar, and ethereal chanting. Fans of Alcest will be in their element with music like this, although there is a darker undercurrent here, which becomes quickly apparent when the tortured screams burst through and shatter the tranquility.
Monarque is a one man black metal project from Quebec. Dabbling in the realm of depressive suicidal black metal (DSBM), despite being relatively melodic, Lys Noir (Sepulchral Productions) is unapologetically raw. Much of the melody on the album comes from keyboards that play under the buzz of the guitar. The use of keyboards on the album is very tastefully done, ensuring that any risk of cheesiness is comfortably avoided. Remaining firmly in the background, and allowing the riffs to take centre stage, the keyboard merely adds another textural layer to the album.