My first task here was trying to decipher the band’s name as their logo makes it practically impossible. Their logo on the disc itself was a swirling struck by lightning sunwheel as far as I could guess and the spine of the CD had runes on it, no clues in the booklet either. Everything else was in French but I was pretty sure that was not where the band hailed from. Oh well let’s check out the record label then. Here was the answer Pagan Flame and I was correct as far as origin was concerned, this group are from the sprawling Québécois black metal scene. Finding an online guide to QCBM as it is sometimes termed I never quite realised just how big it is, vast even. Sure I am aware of the occasional discs that turn up, indeed this one arrived with one by Valknacht and we have found the likes of Forteresse and many others from both Quebec, Montreal and other places hitting our radar in the past but the amount of others on this list must hit around the 200 mark.

Anyway onto Pagan Flame and their ‘Symbol Of Light And Life’ album. It would appear to be their debut full length after forming in 2005 and releasing a demo and split with Frost prior to it. The group consist of six members sharing a keyboard player with the aforementioned Valknacht and they play a style described as pagan (there’s a clue in the name) folk black metal. The album has 6 proper tracks and an intro and runs at 53 minutes so that should give you an idea that their music borders on the more epic arrangements than anything quick and disposable.

A nice acoustic intro builds up the atmosphere before the sound of marching and military sounding drums fills the speakers. There’s a savage rasp and we are flung into La Victoire du Marteau. Like many in the scene this is a band who salute their historical place in the grand scheme of things, battles and blood of the past are the main signifiers and what the situation is in Canada itself is no doubt interesting as over here no doubt many would try and tar the groups with that English heritage brush and shout the word fascists in their direction. The music is practically bathed in blood; you can hear it in the indignant vocal yells from singer White MacLean (a name over here which would be more likely found on the toothpaste shelf). The guitars are mournful of melody but the underlying feel is of ever marching forward and stopping for nothing no matter how big the army is it will be defeated or we will die trying. Keyboards are not overbearing but add to the harmony and as far as others that could be mentioned are concerned the obvious Bathory and Enslaved are there but that is a lazy comparison as this stands very much on a battlefield of its own.  The addition of clean and harmonic vocal croons on ‘Terre des Loups’ is not unexpected and really adds to the more ferocious style nicely and the acoustic part of the song is a lush break from the battle clamour.

As the disc continues you find yourself quite mesmerised by the mixture of ferocity and majesty that unwinds in lengthy flowing and well written songs such as the epic Un ‘Autre Rouge Équinoxe.’ There is a lot of atmosphere here and you can almost smell the fumes of battle, the deaths and the mourning to lost friends and family, augmented in part by some weeping guitar solos. The sound of the sea soothes a bit on closing number ‘Symbole de Vie et de Lumière’ but to my imagination I can see it crimson with the blood of the fallen washing through it. The battle maybe drawing to an end but it is not without loss. This makes me want to hear more from the fertile Québécois black metal clans as the chances of seeing any of them play is remote to say the least. Pagan Flame are certainly one of no doubt many bands worth checking out

(7/10 Pete Woods)

http://www.facebook.com/PaganFlame