Tour of Duty: France

LLN Ikon

France has always been a favorite of mine when it comes to black metal. The LLN acts such as Torgiest, Vlad Tepes, and Mütiilation (the only one to last) had their lo-fi charm and tried to combat the infamy of the Norwegian scene. Immediate successors such as Peste Noire and Celestia continued the raw and melodic style that's become such a go to for many acts around the world. Like those two mentioned, Mystic Forest brings about a huge dose of melody, but in a very classical and virtuoso style that's nearly unheard of in black metal. Diamatregon's forged themselves a bizarre path as their 2009 full length Crossroad is an homage of sorts to American blues (you won't really hear it in the music, but the album is a true grower and has such a great, raw, and dismally deep sound akin to the hardships Robert Johnson and the like sang about). Epheles had the aggression and straight ahead attack that some of those others lacked, but added a strong synth touch to the mix. Antaeus, like their namesake, were all about strength as their sound and nihilism has gone unmatched for quite sometime. Finally, there's Glorior Belli's who strangely enough also had a blues influenced album (Meet us at the Southern Sign) and have created a stable, polished style of black metal that's gotten wider distribution than most. 

This cover still baffles me. Note the dog in the foreground,  and his stupid face. The wheelchair is just a whole 'nother story.

Not included due to length and an overall lack of quality is Pensées Nocturnes whose track "Coups de Bleus" is a very faithful and well done marriage of black metal and blues. I'm just saying this because France has such a peculiar scene, from NSBM bands to shoegazers like Alcest to pioneers Deathspell Omega Blut Aus Nord and bands with a complete admiration for U.S. black southern music. There's a lot of other great acts, hope this is just a good jump off.

Download

1. Torgeist - "Devoted to Satan" - Devoted to Satan

2. Vlad Tepes - "Untitled" - Broullions I

3. Mütiilation - "Travels to Sadness, Hate & Depression" - Remains of a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul

4. Celestia - "Prisoner of a Morbid Cradle" - A Cave Full of Bats

5. Peste Noire - "Paysage Mauvais" - Folkfuck Colie

6. Mystic Forest - "Braver Les Ombres" - Welcome Back in the Forest

7. Antaeus - "Blood War III" - De Principii Evangelikum

8. Diamatregon - "Wine" - Crossroad

9. Epheles - "Les Siècles D'ignorance" - Souviens-Toi

10. Glorior Belli - "Manifesting the Raging Beast" - Manifesting the Raging Beast

Download

An Autumn For Crippled Children - Everything

Covers like this are usually a good indication of what you're in for.

While it might sound like some small town fundraiser started in memory of Timmy the octoplegic, it is, in fact, the name of a symphonically driven black metal band out of the Netherlands (we'll stick with ACC to make life easier). A dense and claustrophobic production coupled with trite keyboards, made it a surprise to find out that this isn't a one man black metal band, but rather a three piece (there are credits to a drummer, but I don't believe that these are real drums).

To get right to it, Everything is the latest release from this band. The album itself is  a very spotty record  that jumps from keyboard driven sections that are boring and over the top to dense, powerful walls of steel wool, shoe gaze-y guitars gone scary and forlorn. This sums up the first two tracks as "Forever Never Fails" is as poppy as black metal could ever get and then "Formlessness" explores a very post-rock influenced sound and, for the most part, lacks keyboards. Halfway through the second track reminds me a lot of Xasthur on a good day and Alcest circa Le Secret. This is a very powerful, and well done section that shows the potential behind ACC if they focused their energy on atmosphere and the guitar.

This is pretty much how the rest of the album carries on as the band jumps from silly, synth driven tracks that sound amateurish and over the top, to dreary slicing guitars, mangled screams and dense sections where they all come together.

There was a period in my life where I listened to almost anything labeled black metal and when I found bands like Xasthur to be the creme dela creme, with ACC I feel like I'm back there again. There are countless, forgettable bands that did what ACC do and have never been thought of again by myself, and there are others such as Caïna and Lifelover who have what makes ACC interesting without what makes them not. ACC do somethings right, but the merry elves keyboards and the drum machine really kill what what does work. The band would be far better suited to bask in dense, droning sections and pour out into post-rock like explosions.

The album leaves me thinking "well, maybe next time they'll get it right." Truth be told, I don't care if there is a next time. If Slayer went right from Haunting the Chapel to Seasons in the Abyss I would say "they had something going, but lost it somehow." What's there is there, and what An Autumn for Crippled Children have is nothing worth revisiting as handfuls have done it better, and continue to do so.

Lifelover's Jonas Berqvist aka "B" is dead

Taken from Phropecy Productions

"On the night of the 9th September, Jonas Bergqvist a.k.a. 'B', founding member, main composer, and guitarist of Lifelover, died unexpectedly. The cause of his death is still unclear and has yet to be established.

The message of Jonas's passing came as a surprise to the Prophecy team. Hence, we lack the appropriate words for this tragic event. To us, Jonas wasn't just a very creative artist, but also a pleasant and enthusiastic person. It is for certain that we won't be the only ones missing his character, his passion, and his unique musical language.
In the face of this tragic loss, we would very much like to extend our heartfelt condolence towards Jonas's family, his friends, and the remaining musicians of Lifelover."

I'll skip sentiments, as I don't know what I could really say beyond that this is awful and my wishes go out to his family and friends. I guess in a time like this it's only proper to celebrate their life rather than mourn their death. 

Lifelover was a band that I came to enjoy greatly, and while I times they're brand of melodramatic popesque black metal seemed a bit too over the top, the band created a truly unique sound that merged catchy melodic hooks of post-punk/pop music, with the absolutely dismal aesthetic and production of black metal. And yet, at times, whether in jest or not, the band could sound up-beat and true to their name. A must for fans of Alcest, Amesoeurs, Lantos, etc.
 
Hopefully Lifelover will remain a relevant band beyond this tragic loss.

CONFORMCONFORMCONFORMCONFORM

Check out the Facebook page for quibbles and updates. Check the Last fm to see what I've been listening to (too bad I can't get it to record my tapes/records).

Plenty of reviews in the works. Interviews shortly.

Meanwhile. Huge update at Gilead, check that out.

Tours

Thou, some dates with Wolves in the Throne Room

Despise You w. Magrudergrind

Grave w. Blood Red Throne

Enslaved w. Ghost & Alcest

Converge

Victims

Swans