Hardly surprising but the last and second album ‘Par La Fue’ from French Vampiric council Diablation made my albums of the year list when it was released in 2022. Including members past and present from the likes of Seth, Bâ’a, Gravenoire and Ad Inferna it was a downright creepy and ghoulish affair. Something rather strange has happened here though and we are informed that this is the group’s swansong. Apparently vocalist Arkames “is now doomed to silence.” In further weirdness this overly Satanic coven cease activity with the final words from their grand-maester stating “Oh God, I rely on you, that we can one day become King again.” Not the sort of thing one would expect from such a previously blasphemous entity at all. Don’t worry too much though, malevolence and arcane rites are draped all over this release and although it is up to French linguists to further translate the verse I suspect it is not all “praise be” for seekers of the divine light although track titles such as ‘Lord” and ‘The Last King” not forgetting “Chrysanthemums in the new world” do raise eyebrows. Perhaps it is all ironic but I doubt this will ever be referred to in the same fetid breath as the words ‘White Metal’ as it is as obsidian as tar.
But then again maybe not as the intro piece 144000 also seems questionable due to its religious significance and basically referring to the number of the faithful who will gain immortality in heaven and reside with God and Christ for eternity. Maybe Arkames is seeking redemption although one suspects he has blown any chance of that due to past works. Also one should not forget that the devil speaks with forked tongue and one should take nothing here particularly for granted. After the tolling bells and divine choral work of this it seems to be business as usual at least musically. ‘Eternel’ has that symphonic and orchestral sound we have become accustomed to with plenty of bitter and nihilistic wrath behind its frantic blast-beat laden tumult (masterfully handled by Rémi Sérafino of Igorrr). Ominous sounds parping in the backdrop sound as if the walls of Jericho are being smashed to smithereens and everything about this is absolutely furious.
‘Purification’ and ‘Through Hatred’ are much more in-line with what we would expect but then one starts getting somewhat paranoid about who such statements refer to? The heathens, the iconoclasts, those who shun religion? It’s enough to make your head spin a bit especially as the frontman unspools a gravid diatribe which although sounding like a curse could frankly mean anything to those not speaking the language. There are simply too many questions here and considering the ‘doomed to silence’ stature from the apparently disappeared statesmen it is unlikely they will ever be answered.
One can still enjoy its theatrical expression and the music though as well as shifts from all out attacks to spats of slower martial drumming. Everything about this is a vile and violent as listener’s would seek out. Even when singing about bloody flowers there is an air of antagonism about it all but there is a conundrum due to the jubilant swagger too perhaps? Ha, I just don’t know but it feels like everyone involved here including label Osmose are playing some sort of ‘Irreverent’ joke on us. The only thing for sure is the fact that the final coffin-smashing, reverberating drum-beat does sound like a definite conclusion from which there will be no return.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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