Back with their third “painting” it’s time to dip into the still life tapestry of these six strange masked figures from France. The group impressed with last album ‘Vestige,’ the striking cover of that particular release being a portrait but musically it struck as a mature release that hardly ever stood still, full to the brim with ideas. ‘Nature Morte’ is no exception to that rule either and it is a dense album chock-a-block with stylistic twists and turns which leaves you never knowing quite what to expect next.
At first however it seems like a work clearly identifying within the structures of atmospheric black metal. After a solemn passage of what sounds like early Mortiis enthused dungeon synth ‘Désir’ pelts out the trap like a whirlwind of destructive force. This is intense swarming blackness with throaty screams unleashed in furious fashion by vocalist Logos. Behind the savagery there is melody and with no less than three guitarists, bassist and drummer they make it seem at times that there is a whole symphony orchestra playing along with them. Some great tones are wrung out giving it along with the venomous pace both a classic and rich feel. Second track ‘Les mammonites’ similarly crunches in with haywire rage. It sounds like there is a whole brass section in the background trumpeting away. There isn’t but the deluge from the instruments give that effect. Adding to the snarls and rasps there’s some coarse bellows too and vitriolic rebel raising shouts, we could have been thrust into a particularly violent and feudal battle taking place in the midst of the French Revolution.
We could also expect the album to continue down this path but no, Pénitence Onirique are not the sort of band to stick to one dimension and get too used to it. Sitar like sounds and an expanse into other territories follow on the title track. There’s space now between the instruments but the vocal roars are ever indignant. It feels like we have travelled to another continent and a place with spicy flavours, there’s no shortage of mystery and intrigue. I wish I spoke French and could gain a bit of further insight into the band’s world. Even though I don’t, it’s still completely captivating, bristling with melodicism and sudden bursts of redemptive violence. Apparently ‘Lama Sabachthani’ refers to Psalm 22 in Aramaic “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me.” Here though it is a shorter instrumental piece, heavy on the bass and with a gloomy Opeth sounding melody. It provides a breathing space at the midway point before the wonderfully entitled ‘Je vois Satan tomber comme l’éclair’ (I see Satan falling like lightning) takes us further into what now is resembling a biblical quest. French author, historian and social commentator René Girard is actually responsible for the song title and if you want to look further into mimetic rivalry and ideas that I guess inspired the band here, it’s your starting point. I’m more up for immersing myself in the music with its fantastic poise and grace here, touches of delicate piano and the dense driving drum rhythms.
‘Pharmakos’ sets up ritualistic sacrifice with a flurry of drums and hoary yells before the ethnic swirls burst through full of flavours and transporting you off to another place; perhaps one that would equally spellbind fans of Rotting Christ and Orphaned Land. It’s gone well beyond the easier categorised black metal we started off with that’s for sure and I doubt anyone hearing the band for the first time would have expected this. Genre pigeonholing be damned! Last number is the epic (not that everything here doesn’t sound epic) ‘Les indifferenciés’ which takes us to ancient civilisations in a more ponderous fashion far removed from the mania we entered the album with. Despite this it wraps up the story with a reflective cast at mankind’s one-minded pursuit which has inevitably led to conflict and violence throughout human history, which is essentially the basis of the album’s narrative.
I have only touched slightly on the complex ideas presented by the band here, honestly the music itself is enough to keep you really occupied but even so I feel like I have learned a fair bit. Essentially Pénitence Onirique have delivered an enthralling album in more ways than one and for those searching for intelligence and scholarly insight ‘Nature Morte’ is likely to consume your time admirably.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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