There are several reasons I was drawn to cover this 3rd album from Hanternoz despite having never heard of the French act before. Firstly, the subject matter dealing with folklore and the fact it is a narrative journey along “the longest and largest of French rivers, the Loire” stirred my emotions and had me thinking of a tale along the lines of a Gallic Ben Aaronovitch, similar to his Rivers Of London fantasy tales. Then there are the band pictures of the duo behind the music Hyvermor (Véhémence, Grylle, Régiment) and Sparda (Créatures, Cataèdes) featuring one of them propped up on a chair sitting in the middle of a big river which is frankly inseine (and an excuse for a very bad pun). There’s also the fact they meld together black metal with traditional folk-laden instruments such as flutes, hurdy-gurdy, mouth harps, bombard etc which meant this was likely to be quite a jolly romp. The other thing though is the wide array of guests included here which features many from bands I love on the excellent Les Acteurs de l’Ombre label. We have ‘shadow actors’ from Aorlhac, Jours Pâles & Darkenhold among them as well as session members from Oxxo Xoox, Wormfood, The Negative Bias, Rauhnächt and even a member of Skyforger amidst the hurly-burly.
Thankfully once we get to the music itself what a glorious commotion it is too, exactly as anticipated and a 63-minute album that giddily floats my boat not so gently down the river. Naturally it is all in French and the bookends of the album with spoken parts are somewhat lost on me but once we get into 1st track proper ‘À cul de grève’ and bombastically plunge into the depths, the chants and stirring music are easy to fall under the spell of. It’s jubilant and upbeat with some massive clean harmonies and huge melodicism that is full of immediate fist-bumping bravado. This is great stuff make no mistake and ideally should be played on a platform in the middle of the Loire allowing the audience to get wild, strip off and nakedly jump in. Sadly that opportunity is not available but it is guaranteed to have you dancing around your living room (clothing optional). It’s also on this track the aforementioned LADLO guest vocalists join in making it a particularly wild ride and a half. Songs are lengthy and have plenty of time to meander but do so without losing focus and have strong sense of identity making the music surge ever seaward on its journey. The trill of the flute defines ‘Ce que le fleuve a pris’ and takes us down the river, our commandeer barking out orders as the ride speeds up with jaunty prowess and an addictive stomp about it. L’Hanterdro de Languidic has a progressive pomposity of it the colours the water a deepest shade of purple as the King dressed in Crimson coasts down it on a galley in all his finest splendour. The raspy vocals are excellent, naturally I would love a translation but not having one adds to the mystery of it all and there’s plenty of that going on as well as some great medieval folk music keeping the listener very much on toes.
Nothing quite prepares you for the absolutely beguiling ‘Vieille nasse crevée’ which has a twisting-turning Theremin sounding weave about it that sounds like it has escaped from an old 70’s TV programme. Somehow it all melds together with the thumping gallant blackness and once encountered it will echo in your head for days. I’m not really sure what this ‘Old Punctured Trap’ is quite about even with the help of a video but it’s a fascinating track. Still with that identity, next it’s an ode to the boatmen of the Loire and it is what can only be described as a river shanty complete with accordion and stirring singalong. King Rene took his last journey down the Rhone in a barrel on a boat no less. The Renaissance ruler is no doubt the subject of ‘Le roi René a fait mander’ and the track is every bit as eccentric as he. I’m assuming the story narrated during it will particularly stir the emotions of any French libertines hearing it. It’s the memories of heroes that are reflected in the final piece, wanderlust in the vocals and a mysticism in the calmer waters here but it’s still particularly evocative in its inward gazing nostalgia and a fine way to wrap up a fascinating album which has completely captivated and intrigued me from beginning to end. Some French wine, cheese and a boat trip have never seemed so appealing.
(9/10 Pete Woods)
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