You can always rely on Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions to unearth new and interesting bands from France and here we have just that, with a CD taking in 2, 4 track EP’s released together on a split album.
Although they have been around since 2014 Simulacre may well have passed you by as to date they only have a 2 track EP ‘La Jaiba’ to their name from 2017. The group were put together by former Asmodée member NecroC and have had quite a shuffle around of players since then, with most of the current group being relatively new to their ranks. It appears that for the recording here the Necro-lord was also vocalist but according to sources they now have LOTR monikered Dwimorberg taking over these reins allowing him to concentrate fully on guitar. It’s also noted that Mr Wretch of The Great Old Ones is their drummer.
Their work strikes as interesting from the gloomy opening tones of ‘Les Voix du Sang’ which after opening atmospheric guitar melody suddenly pumps out the speed with some blazing blackness and savage drumming. Twin guitars scythe and the vocals have a dismal sort of tone at first raising from almost spoken word to large clean roars. The rhythms and flow are twofold, one second with a progressive feel that is sombre and full of sorrow to swipes of aggressive anger. You can lose yourself within the folds and there is an almost complex technicality about it at times with fluttering signatures that really enthral and draw you in to their sad depths. ‘Tribus’ has a huge speed about it after this and really goes for the throat, the frenzied delivery at times reaches levels that remind a bit of old Emperor and nothing stands still for a second. ‘Time Tombs’ takes prose from JG Ballard as source and the singer changes from French to English snarling through this apocryphal tale. Motion is tumultuous and heaving, there’s a bit of a Voivod sci-fi vibe about its thrashy turmoil and the complexity is evident although far from daunting as the song twists and twirls away. Last number ‘Myste’ is a tremolo fret fest of fast flurrying dextrousness and has a bit of a historic flair about it that fits in perfectly with the feel of other bands on the label like Darkenhold and Aorlhac. This is the sound of a band who have obviously taken time to present material and admirably prove they have plenty of experience about them. I will be keenly awaiting further developments from them.
We have encountered Archvile King before via recent debut album À la ruine, reviewed Here. This work attributed to sole musician Barus actually came before it, originally released as ‘Vile’ in 2020. It showcases an artist that probably wouldn’t be considered quite as serious as Simulacre with the 4 songs taking in subjects such as feasting Worm Kings and Bastards Of The Sea. It’s far from pirate metal though and starts over a thrashy melodic DM gallop with plenty of spirit about it. Vocals are growly and the heroic and somewhat grizzly stories are sung in English and have plenty of gung-ho bravado about their swaggering chops. These are songs to bounce around to and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. One easily gets caught up in the hurly-burly, battle laden glory of songs such as Pax Infernum (Dog Of War) and want to join in at a festival with the crowd divided into two sides, meeting in the middle with a clash of steel and bodies tumbling everywhere. They have the occasional blackened part such as the for whom the bell tolls intro of The Feast Of The Worm King, but its nothing too scary as it moves from doomy origins into headlong flight again. As for the previously discussed ‘Gwyneth Paltrow Is A Lich,’ well it’s the most deranged musical romcom I have heard before we consciously uncouple from Archvile King, scratching head and wondering what Barus is going to come up with next. A full band live at a festival would be guaranteed to get a drunken party atmosphere going, that’s for sure.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
https://www.facebook.com/Simulacreband
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