Music Review : Akitsa – Grands Tyrans (2015)

Music Review : Akitsa – Grands Tyrans (2015, Hospital Productions)

While opening with Dévoilé like most of the primitive black metal origins of the vein of early Ulver and Darkthrone the Montréal based band led by O.T. pushes its listener into a path that black metal territories have been visited for almost thirty years of lo-fi recordings, distant drumming, scratchy strident guitars, and desperate screams. While Le feu de l’abîme brings us into a Voivoïd dimension of vocals while keeping the musical standard of the recordings in the BM genre while the structure of the song slows down from the first title and visits a more heavy metal sound maybe like contemporary aforementioned DarkThrone.

With its minimalist engraved black and with cover, Grands Tyrans goes one step into black metal and comes back just to dive again into its territory while never afraid to take the conventions of the genre into different angles and beat it with a cudgel just like it deserves to be with Naufrage contemporain.

Even with a true Norwegian black metal sound, Akitsa seems to be able to indulge a Quebecois sound into their French lyrics and music. We feel that they have a progressive taste maybe undertake and it reflects into their crossing of the hermetic guidelines of the purist of the kvlt primitive sound of their contemporaries like Taake. Without surprise, fans of the genre are reluctant to Akitsa and the battle for a wider fanbase may be harder than other bands that stay into the mold but the victory of Akitsa will only be greater. The same can be said for the listener that will persevere and give many listens to this excellent album.

8.4

Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Music Review : Enslaved – In Times (2015)

Coming from a string of acclaimed albums from Below the Lights , ISA, Ruun, Vertebrae, Axioma Ethica Odini, and RIITIIR, the Norwegian progressive black metal masters of Enslaved have put in front their rock influences like Rush, Pink Flolyd and Led Zeppelin.

With In Times, Enslaved are going another step forward into melodic rock and retaining the rage and violence of their original genre. It is a catchy album that without Grutle’s growl would have made a noticeable prog rock product. Not that it is a bad thing or not enjoyable either. But, as far as I am an early fan of Enslaved and I’ve followed and appreciated each and every record they did, I feel a bit tired of the formula and I would rank Below the Lights as their masterpiece and then the later albums slowly decreasing in originality and inspiration.

Some would say that as the guys in the band get older they get softer and turn back onto their early influences. It is, in fact, not a wrong proposition but a very dull one as to say that they don’t make them like Mardraum anymore.

Finally, In Times is far from a complete mess but just the continuity of the slow fall of Enslaved from the aforementioned Below the Lights into the boredom of average albums.

6.5

Music Review : Alcest – Shelter (2014)

 

Music Review : Alcest – Shelter (2014)

Alcest takes his origins in black metal but slowly evolved into a shoegaze act playing on My Bloody Valentine’s field more than Burzum’s. The album Shelter is an entire dedication to trippy rock and shoegaze. Since Deafheaven’s Sunbather, which was a perfected version of BM and shoegaze in 2013, many BM bands have crossed the lined of purist kvlt BM.

Alcest is now far from its BM roots but still in a territory of its own. At first it is a bit surprising to find a bleak comparison other than the aforementioned bands. But I would reference Katatonia and its latest entries of rock infused with darker landscapes. It is the atmosphere and feeling as a whole that still makes this a somber record that could entice fans of the early Alcest.

It is an interesting record for its whole texture but its monotony and lack of flavour is too heavy in the balance compared with its ambition that is limited by the change of style that Alcest has occured. It is a grey album that transpire a melancholy and a spleen that is not elevated by its music and lacks in overall tenure and a monochrome structure that sinks slowly the record from song to song.

It is an entry into a genre that is difficult to master and a miss that could not be a hit but a lesson that experiences are permitted and an average album doesn’t sink a band but a series could.  

6.1

Music Review : Voivod – Target Earth (2013)

 

Music Review : Voivod – Target Earth (2013)

In french there’s a saying that : Nul n’est prophète en son pays. It could be translated to nobody is a prophet in his own country. Exactly the case for Voivod that has its origins in the Province of Québec. They always had more recognition outside of their native land. Probot, Dave Grohl’s project of a song with many artists he admired in the Metal genre included a song with Snake (vocals) of Voivod and the cover art was designed by Away (drums). Then, bands like Enslaved, Darkthrone, Propagandhi were wearing their old Voivod shirts. Back in 2005 when Piggy (Denis D’Amour) died, the band released two albums (Katorz, Infini) with the latest tracks he left on his computer and recorded knowing his end was near. But the future of the band was more than uncertain even with the regain of attention and success.

However, with the replacement of Piggy by Chewy (Dan Mongrain), Voivod wrote Target Earth, a more progressive Metal oriented album that would satisfy the early fans of the band as much as the new ones. Nicely produced while keeping the original sound of the band, Target Earth is another excellent album from Voivod and continues to demonstrate that the band is still right on when it comes to continuity and in keeping a high standard of song writing.

With Mechanical Mind, they extend their music to epic scape and Warchaic just links with heavy drumming and a deep song that is more than just simple bashing all around.

A rare thing is also present, a song sang in French; Corps Etranger that sounds quite well. One of the many examples of the fast songs that are on this album. It is in fact a faster tempo for Target Earth when compared to the two previous records.

Many labels have been given to their music, avant-garde, progressive Metal, Speed Metal, but only the Voivod name can define what kind of music Voivod is making.

For the occasional listener, Voivod might sound like a formulaic band that digs into a sound and keep walking into the same path over and over again. It is true that you have to appreciate the texture and the structure to fully get this group. Voivod is Voivod and they make the records that represent this name. A sincere effort from the good old classic Voivod band that like good wine still taste great with time and can become even better with aging.

7.6

 

Music Review : Opeth – Pale Communion (2014)

Music Review : Opeth – Pale Communion (2014)

 

With their new opus the once Black Death metallers of Opeth have, since Heritage, turned completely into a progressive Rock outfit that can recall the best years of Camel, Genesis, Jethro Tull, and King Crimson just to name a few.

Not that it is a complete surprise, their approach, or I should write the mastermind of Opeth Mikael Akerfeldt’s approach, was always to mix Death metal growls with clear vocals. Obviously, his friendship with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Blackfield has led him to slowly diverge to his passion from 1970’s progressive Rock.

With Pale Communion, the continuity of Heritage is established as it started with Damnation the other half of Deliverance; one of the greatest two records to ever see the light in the last fifteen years. The D/D albums were completing each other and I called them the black and white duo albums. As stated in interview, Pale Communion is more melodic and contains more vocal melodies. Indeed, it is a far more easier listen than Heritage and more enjoyable record too. It is more Rock than progressive and I’m sure it will be more popular with fans. Not really having any expectations with the album I was surprisingly happy with the entire tracks and I think that if Opeth is to become a progressive Rock band like this record I will continue to follow them. Even if I personnally prefer albums like Blackwater Park for its mix of Death Metal and progressive metal, I might consider dig into more of my 1970’s vinyl collection and mix it with Pale Communion.

Overall, a very good album projecting a nice continuity for Opeth and Akerfeldt’s interest in obscure 1970’s music.

7.3