I certainly feel honoured receiving a CD that is limited to just 50 copies here to review from the man without a face Sans Visage who is responsible for it. This is an obscure and underground one-man black metal project from France and a debut release from the person who is also behind Vipère. It contains just 4 tracks and the EP is just short of 15 minutes. The project name translates to Priory and I have to get a bit of further help with the track titles on exploring this further. There are clues on the cover, a hooded figure seems incarcerated on the front and there is a sword on the back. The title track is first and is The Faith Of The Executioners so things do not look good for the our prisoner. It could will be a case of off with his head very shortly.
A guitar strums and a scathing slither down the scales unleashes a raw and feral sound as drums pummel in and screams are throatily roared. Melody is tight and this has a punky volatility with some catchy metallic refrains about it. The sound echoes around the vocals but is solid and like the overall package well-produced without tinny demo like qualities which one may have expected to hamper this. There’s some control and poise as partway through the track downs tools and gives a bit of air to breathe before the noose is once more tightened. You can headbang away to this and it is short and sweet. La Feu brings the fire and a lurching stomp and cleaving guitars. The vocals here are really impressive and melody brings a touch of medieval darkness, the guitar interplay skilful and precise as it unravels with a snake like viperous intent. I can’t particularly say that any other bands are on tip of tongue when it comes to describe this so identity wise there is certainly a uniqueness about this. Sans Virage (without turn) is the next number and by far the shortest, angrily blasting in and screaming in our faces before uncoiling another spiralling guitar signature. The hammering smashes and volatile screams continue into La sombre beauté des âmes perturbées and one can feel the disturbed souls very much in turmoil as this twists and thunders to the end….
However, it is not quite the end as there is a reprise in the form of (Reprise de Vieille Chèvre) and it is an old goat I know well being a beautifully played classic guitar rendition of Saint Saens Danse Macabre, a nice tribute to Sans Visage famed countryman and a tune that anyone should instantly recognise. I must admit I would have liked more here and the black metal side of things was just really getting going before it finished. Hopefully though this is just a taster and there is more to come in the future. You can check it out at the Bandcamp link below.
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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