04.20.13 — 00.52 — Saturday morning — Hotel Mercure, Tilburg

I was early to Het Patronaat for the start of day two of Roadburn 2013. Stupid early, as the kids might say. Dread Sovereign — the new and doomly trio from Primordial vocalist Alan Averill and drummer Simon O’Laoghaire, also with Bones on guitar — were going on until 14.00, and I rolled up to the old church roughly an hour before. It was in time to catch their soundcheck, as it happens, which I watched from the door into the upstairs of the venue as a prelude to their actual set, which followed a much-needed cup of coffee. I had thought of bringing a book to read and ultimately decided against it. Can’t say it was the right choice, but there you go.

Averill handles bass in Dread Sovereign as well, and dialing his stage makeup back to some eyeliner but keeping the hood — Bones had one as well — his stage presence was a far cry from what it had been the night before, less interaction with the crowd, less rousing to fit with the music, which in turn was less rousing. There’s a 12″ they’re selling here, limited, whathaveyou, that I’ve had my eye on for two days now, and watching Dread Sovereign live did nothing to dissuade a purchase. Bones was a ripper on guitar, thrashing out like the kids do while he tossed off lively solos to counteract the songs’ marked plod. For his part, Averill‘s vocal style was roughly the same as in Primordial — after a point, you’re going to sing how you’re going to sing, no matter the context — but he had room to breathe between lines for the slower tempos.

Less adrenaline all around, then, but that was to be expected, and there were still a couple flashes of more uptempo groove to be had. “Pray to the Devil in Man” may have beat out its anti-Christian miseries, but “13 Clergy to the Fire” had some swing to it, with a chorus pattern distinctly in Averill‘s sphere that was immediately memorable. Solid beginning as it was, though, even Dread Sovereign‘s fastest stretch was little indicator of what German retro rockers Kadavar had on offer, playing songs from their two albums, 2012’s self-titled debut and the brand new Abra Kadavar (review here). I think for lack of material, as they’re a pretty recent band, Dread Sovereign ended their 45-minute set early, so there was a break in between, but as soon as Kadavar started checking their sound, it was clear things were about to take a turn in a much different direction.

One thing about the German three-piece: They’ve got the look down. Also the sound. Between two songs early into their set, someone in back shouted out, “Hair metal!” and received a couple boos. I can see the point of the critique, that Kadavar are so much leading with their aesthetic, the vintage production, the shirts, necklaces, beards, the bellbottoms and so on, and I guess if they sucked, it would be an issue, but they clearly take it seriously, and they’d more or less melted Het Patronaat by the time they were through their third song. Wolf Lindemann‘s vocals were spot on, and Tiger (drums) was responsible for a good bit of the energy they exuded from the stage. Say what you want about their haircuts, a drummer who can headbang like that to his own rhythms is something special to watch. They had a fill-in bassist, but once they got going, there was really no stopping their momentum.

The drums were set up toward the front of the stage, off the riser, so I don’t know how it looked from the back, but from where I was, people ate up “All Our Thoughts,” “Doomsday Machine” and Abra Kadavar opener “Come Back Life,” and rightfully so. In their tones, in Lindemann‘s vocals, in Tiger‘s riotous playing, Kadavar delivered an early highlight to the day and rounded out with a massive jam, bringing up DJ/filmmaker/psychedelic manipulator/etc. Shazzula Vultura — who was also showing a movie in Stage01 at 013 today — to add swirl via a Theremin run through a Moogerfooger. Shit got real wild real quick, and it was a stretch that brought to mind the later moments of Abra Kadavar. True to the record, they held it together live as well and crashed to a finish as crisply and vibrantly as they’d started, having played their full hour.

At that point, I’d been standing in the same spot at the front of the stage for about two full hours, but I knew I didn’t want to move until I got to watch at least part of Witch Mountain, who were playing Europe for the first time and on the road for four weeks with Cough, who played later tonight. It was another abrupt change in vibe, but neither did Witch Mountain disappoint. The abundance of talent in that band is nigh on ridiculous, and between drummer Nate Carson‘s work with Nanotear Booking (he’s giving a master class tomorrow on touring the US, which he knows both ends of, having done it a few times himself at this point as well as sending others on their way), guitarist Rob Wrong‘s history of reviewing albums for StonerRock.com and penchant for counteracting lumbering riffs with shredding solos, vocalist Uta Plotkin‘s intense range as she varies from growls to soaring, clean high notes (while actually hitting them; I don’t know if she’s a trained singer, but she certainly sounds like one) and bassist Neal Munson‘s tonal heft and nod-out rhythms, it’s hard not to root for them both here and in general.

“The Ballad of Lanky Rae” and “Beekeeper” from last year’s Cauldron of the Wild (review here) and the extended build of “Aurelia” were welcome, and as they seemed really glad to be playing, there resulted the kind of wholesome atmosphere that emerges when doom gathers to celebrate itself. I dug it, which was doubly fortunate because watching Kadavar and Witch Mountain meant missing out on Dream Death. There was some strategy involved in this, as staying at Het Patronaat instead of going over to the 013 Main Stage for Dream Death freed up scheduling conflicts to come and I’ll be able to catch Dream Death in June at Days of the Doomed III in Wisconsin — most assuredly about as “in their element” as they’re going to get. So I felt bad for missing out on Dream Death, but will make up for it later. Every Roadburn brings hard choices, and every attendee has to carve out his or her own path through the crowded lineup. You know, like life.

Already at Het Patronaat the temperatures were reaching unseasonable highs. Witch Mountain had started early on account of this, and it was largely the thermostat that had me split partway through their set — still fun to start today with two full sets, as opposed to yesterday with all the running around early on — to head across the alleyway to the 013 and check out the “The Electric Acid Orgy” curated lineup by Electric Wizard guitarist/vocalist Jus Oborn. The Wizard‘s own set was still a ways off, but as I walked in, the Green Room was just starting to fill up for upstart doomers Witchsorrow, who soon came on with their peculiarly British kind of traditional crushing riffage. At some point I’m going to have to sit down and really hammer out the differences between British trad doom and American trad doom and see what I can come up with, but watching Witchsorrow after Witch Mountain underscored how wide the margin between two doom acts can be, however similarly witchy their names might wind up.

They too seemed glad to have been asked to play — who wouldn’t be? — and the Green Room did indeed pack out for them, guitarist/vocalist Nick Ruskell craning his neck upwards to a high microphone as though to invoke Lemmy’s occult powers and further drive the band’s Cathedral-inspired take into wretched oblivion. And so on. Ruskell, bassist Emily Witch and drummer David Wilbrahammer also had a limited-edition cassette for sale over in the merch area to mark the occasion of playing Roadburn 2013, but I didn’t see it over there when I went today to pick up the new Toner Low CD from the Exile on Mainstream table (one of these years, I’ll introduce myself to Andreas from the label, but frankly, people with taste in music that good intimidate me) and must have missed my shot at one. Too bad, but I’m glad I got to catch them for a bit before I headed into the Main Stage area for the start of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats.

It was plain even before they played one note that Uncle Acid were a major draw for the day, and in the five Roadburns that I’ve been fortunate enough to attend, I can think of very few times that room has been that crowded. Sleep last year, Saint Vitus in ’09, and oh yeah, Electric Wizard later in the evening. Usually there’s somewhere to go in the Main Stage area, whether it’s up front in a corner on the floor, or up in back on one of the raised steps, or even up on the balcony, but not for Uncle Acid. There was just no corner that didn’t have someone already there. I knew that a lot of people were looking forward to seeing them play, and so was I, but I suppose I hadn’t realized how that would translate to the actual numbers. They had their work cut out for them in living up to expectation.

But that, they didn’t fail. Opening with “I’ll Cut You Down” from their landmark 2011 sophomore outing, Blood Lust, they had the place immediately in their grip, the song’s psychotic verse swing and chorus hook delivered by both of the UK four-piece’s guitarists, Uncle Acid himself front and center, with backing in the chorus and here and there throughout from the bassist. People watched from out the side door as “I’ll Cut You Down” led to “Mt. Abraxas” from their third album, Mind Control (review here), the stomp in the finish winning favor readily even though the record is still pretty recent, as is, I’m told, the drummer. “Valley of the Dolls” provided a slowdown and “Death’s Door” was a highlight, the band playing mostly in the dark but for a few flashes here and there. I guess as regards the light show, I expected Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats to come bathed in psychedelic purples, oranges and pinks the whole time — they were for flashes in the beginning — but they did just as well in hair-down-lights-down blue and there was little I could’ve reasonably asked for that they didn’t deliver. My one per year, I stood on the side of the stage to watch for a few minutes. Not too long, but long enough.

From there, I popped out to grab a quick bite to eat — roasted chicken, potatoes au gratin and a couple piece of fried fish; I’ve always been a cheap date — and figured I’d get a spot for Moss in the Green Room after. No such luck. By the time I got there, not only was the room itself full, but the space in the hallway outside where one would be able to see the band through the open doorway was also full. My loss, this Moss. They also had some tapes for sale. I should’ve bought everything. Didn’t. Hazards of doing a Roadburn sober, it seems. Back to Het Patronaat, then, my mind still reeling from the Uncle Acid set, to catch the start of French post-black metallers Les Discrets. Roadburn 2013 artist-in-residence, Neige of Alcest, played bass alongside guitarist, vocalist, visual artist and principle songwriter Fursy Teyssier and in comparison to Les Discrets‘ albums, of which I’ll make no bones about saying I’m a fan, the live incarnation was much heavier. This could just as easily be a byproduct of the house P.A., or of Neige‘s bass along with Teyssier and the second guitar, but it added to the dynamism of the band’s already dynamic material.

Also, but for Witch Mountain‘s Plotkin, Les Discrets also had the best vocals I’ve heard so far into the fest, Teyssier harmonizing with his fellow six-stringer and resting just under the lush wash of melody in the guitar and bass. It was gorgeous. Painfully so. I thought the mix on last year’s Ariettes Oubliées (review here) was stronger than that of their 2010 debut, Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées (semi-review here), but even the heaviest moments on record didn’t really prepare me for seeing them live, and while they may share a lot in terms of style with Alcest, it was never quite so apparent as it was watching them how different the two acts actually are and just how much of himself Teyssier puts into his work. I was really, really glad I got to see them, which as usual was becoming kind of a theme for the fest as a whole.

By the time they were really dug in, I could feel the day starting to wear on me, so I came back to the hotel for a few minutes to regroup, take my shoes off, drink a bottle of water, etc., so that when I got back to the 013 for Electric Wizard, I was good and ready. There was some hubbub about the band saying they didn’t want any photographers or something, an email sent to some people apparently, but there was still a decent population in the photo pit by the time the headliners started. I don’t know and I suppose it doesn’t matter anyway at this point, though I was worried Jus Oborn would stop the set and tell everyone to get the fuck out for breaking the rules. I tried to ask him while he was setting up his gear, but if he heard me, there was no indication.

Once more, Oborn had curated the day, so it was only fitting that Electric Wizard should headline — it would be fitting anyway, honestly — and the chance to see them for the first time was a considerable percentage slice for why I came. They toured the States over a decade ago (speaking of hubbubs, I seem to recall something about the Oborn‘s pants? I don’t know), but I didn’t see them then, so they were a must and a major cross-off for my must-see-before-I-die-in-a-fiery-plane-crash list. Yes, I have one, and it’s shorter by one band following Electric Wizard‘s set, which they launched with “Come My Fanatics,” Oborn stepping right into the cult leader role that he more or less legitimately is now, considering how many bands have followed in his drugged-out horrordelic footsteps. Joined by guitarist Liz Buckingham, returned drummer Mark Greening, who came back to the band following the dissolution of Ramesses, and bassist Glenn Charman, Oborn led the way through “Witchcult Today,” “Black Mass,” “Drugula,” “Legalise Drugs and Murder” as the packed crowd willingly went into something like a simultaneous nod trance, chanting lyrics back as screams entered the fray with extended verses and endings for the songs. I stood by the far-left side of the stage and watched riff after pot-addled riff met corresponding clouds of smoke in the crammed-in audience. I didn’t, but if you were ever gonna, this would’ve been the time.

I managed to get back to the other side of the stage by something I’ll just call “Roadburn magic” and ran by the Green Room to watch a few minutes of Finnish weirdo acid rockers Seremonia. Perhaps because everyone was either in the Main Stage space or over at Het Patronaat anticipating the arrival of Goat, the Green Room wasn’t overly crowded and I was able to walk right in. Kind of a bummer spot for Seremonia to have, competing with stoner legends and fascinating newcomers at once, but at least they were here. They just have one record out and from what I saw, I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if they made another appearance down the line sometime. Their self-titled debut (track stream here) is better than people seem to have caught on to yet, perhaps intimidated by the many syllables of the Finnish lyrics. Couldn’t say for sure.

And though I wanted to stay and bask in the sort of folksy traditionalism of Seremonia, Goat beckoned. The Swedish outfit will apparently release a new 7″ on Sub Pop in the US in June, so somebody’s taken note following the critical tornado of fuckyessery that surrounded their 2012 World Music debut. Fine. I’m still not sure I’m really down with Goat. Maybe this is an all-too-American perspective, but you’ve got a bunch of people in masks running around playing psychedelic Afrobeat flailing arms and shouting whooping chants, I guess my big question as regards the band is what part of it isn’t minstrelsy. Obviously Sweden doesn’t have the history of troubled race relations that the US does, and I’ll be straight, I liked the record for what it was musically, it’s the theory behind it that has so far left me scratching my head.

Nonetheless, I ended the day same as I started it — standing in the doorway of Het Patronaat — only this time it was because the room was so full that there was nowhere else for me to go. The line to get in to see Goat stretched out the door and down the alley, and security was letting people in as others came out, so clearly the band was a major lure. Again, they’re good at what they do — I’m not saying they’re not — it’s all the other stuff besides the music I’m talking about. That said, judging by the smiles on the faces of those around me and the expectant/impatient looks of those waiting on line outside (far more wanting to go in than coming out), they probably made quite a few peoples’ day.

Late-night Tilburg echoes with the throb of the dance club across from the Mercure and drunken aus uur blijfts on the street below my open window. It’s just past four in the morning as I finish this post and if last night is anything to go by, it’ll be another two hours sorting photos [actually it was only an hour and a half!]. So be it. Roadburn 2013 day three kicks off tomorrow at 14.30 and I’ll be there.

Thanks (again) for reading. More pics after the jump.

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The really crazy thing about it is there’s so much more to come from Roadburn 2013 as the fest starts to take shape. Already it’s been a wildly diverse lineup of bands added, and with the announcement today that Neige of French post-black metallers Alcest will be the artist-in-residence this year, performing with his band,

Neige Announced As Artist in Residence For Roadburn Festival 2013; Asphyx, A Forest of Stars, Mourning Beloveth and Goat among others confirmed  as well.

France’s Neige will be Artist in Residence at Roadburn Festival 2013, set for April 18 – 21 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

French black metal has always been conceptually diverse, a leading force in pushing the boundaries of the genre. Whether it’s the experimental, nihilistic, buzzing approach of Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord, or Alcest’s soaring, emotional meld of Slinty post rock, spidery, shimmery shoegaze, ambient sounscapes, and black metal fuzz, the French are definitely in the vanguard.

Not surprising then, given Roadburn’s penchant for honoring the innovators, that Alcest mastermind Neige is our Artist in Residence for Roadburn 2013.Neige will carry on a tradition that began at the Roadburn Festival in 2010 with Enslaved, followed by Circle in 2011 and Justin K Broadrick in 2012.

“I remember it was such an honour for us when Alcest was asked to play at the 2011 edition of Roadburn festival”, says Neige. “We only started doing shows a short time before so it was an important step in the band’s existence. For 2013, they offered me to be here again as artist in residence and to perform on all three days of the festival with three different bands: Lantlôs, Les Discrets and Alcest (playing Les Voyages de L’âme in its entirety).

“I feel so glad to get the recognition of such a respected event. It is once again a great honour and I would like to thank the festival’s team for their confidence. Roadburn is one of the best experimental music events in the world, with billings that please the lovers of these kinds of music year by year. I will for sure do my very best to do justice to this status by giving captivating performances together with my bandmates.”

We’re extremely pleased to announce that Asphyx will be playing a special set of their slowest death / doom (only throwing in a couple buzzing, diabolical tracks for good measure) at the Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th.

By releasing 2012’s stunning Deathhammer (Century Media), the band is keeping traditional death metal as true, honest and thrilling as ever. However, especially for Roadburn Festival 2013, Asphyx will put emphasis on their most epic, crushing material, played with guts and balls, and which will guarantee pure doom/death rapture. Along the way, Asphyx’ undisputable influence on many bands that have shredded Roadburn stages will become apparent as well.

The British Empire’s Gentlemen’s Club of A Forest of Stars have been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2013 on Saturday, April 20th at Het Patronaat in Tilburg, Holland.

For the first (and possibly only) time at the request of this festival’s patrons A Forest of Stars will be performing their new album A Shadowplay for Yesterdays in its entirety, replete with the appropriate imagery, smoke, lighting and mirrors.

Mourning Beloveth, Ireland’s purveyors of death and doom for over 20 years, will be playing their classic second album, The Sullen Sulcus, in its entirety for the first time ever at Roadburn Festival 2013 on Thursday, April 18th.

“It is with pleasure we announce our participation in Roadburn 2013 and to mark the occasion we have decided to play, in full, our 2003 album The Sullen Sulcus”, says Mourning Beloveth’s Darren Moore, “We have spoken among ourselves over the years on doing a set dedicated to one album and now seems the perfect opportunity at a festival dedicated to the eclectic and underground movement in metal. This will coincide with the first official release of The Sullen Sulcus for the first time on vinyl with revised artwork. So bring your nightmares in red and enjoy our set, we may even have another surprise in store on the night.”

Looking for psych-spiced space jams? In search of a little something to expand your mind? Brothers and sisters, we are pleased to announce that Portugal’s Black Bombaim will be bringing their largely instrumental and experimental heaviness to Roadburn Festival 2013 on Thursday, April 18th at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

While there are plenty of loyal ‘burners who make the trek from the Iberian peninsula to the festival each spring, this is the first time in Roadburn history that a Portuguese band will be on the bill and we are very excited about it. Currently riding high on the release of their latest album Titans, featuring guests including Steve Mackay (Stooges), Isaiah Mitchell (Earthless / Howlin Rain) and Noel V. Harmonson (Comets on Fire),  Black Bombaim will whisk you away on a swirling, sun-kissed psychedelic trip. Prepare for lift off!

Black Bombaim, Blues Pills, Castle, Eternal Tapestry, Hills, Hour of 13, Jess and the Ancient Ones, Kadavar, The Ruins of Beverast, Pilgrim, Sigh and Teeth of the Sea have also been confirmed for Roadburn Festival 2013.Roadburn Festival 2013, including Electric Wizard’ s curated event, Godflesh playing Pure in its entirety for the first time ever and Die Kreuzen reunion among others, will run for four days from Thursday, April 18th to Sunday, April 21st, 2013 (the traditional Afterburner event) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

For Fursy Teyssier, the core of the band Les Discrets is the intertwining of visual and aural creation. They seem to be two different sides — in the arts, it’s a divide not often breached successfully — but Teyssier has managed to work as an animator and a painter with a severe and rich aesthetic while also giving that same feel a musical body in the form of Les Discrets‘ two albums to date, 2010’s Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées and early 2012’s Ariettes Oubliées…, both of which stand among the most cohesive outings within the burgeoning subset of post-black metal.

Separated from each other by a clear sense of growth and a more open feel in the music, Les Discrets‘ studio offerings are marked by the complex intertwining of acoustic and electric guitars as well as a near-constant undercurrent of melody that pervades the songs. This wash is constructed one layer at a time by Teyssier on guitar and bass, taking stylistic elements from doom, shoegaze post-rock and, of course, black metal. The genre distinctions aren’t a concern for Teyssier — joined in Les Discrets by vocalist/lyricist Audrey Hadorn and drummer Winterhalter (also of Alcest) — and when he says, “I don’t mind” in the interview below, what he really seemed to be saying in the context of the conversation was, “I don’t care.”

That came up a couple times, and some of that was due to the language barrier. My French is rudimentary at best (I had to look up whether it was “tous” or “toutes” for the headline above), and though Teyssier spoke better English than I do — as I’ve found to be the case with many Europeans who learn it as a second language — there were still some ideas that got lost along the way and some of the following Q&A that might read differently than it actually came out in conversation. For what it’s worth, Teyssier had already done a full two hours of interviews by the time we spoke, four half-hour phoners and I was the fifth, and he mentioned he’d gotten a cold at the end of his recent European run of shows as a live member of Alcest; the two bands are closely linked in style, personnel and lineage — Teyssier, Winterhalter and Alcest mastermind Stéphane “Neige” Paut all collaborated in the defunct outfit Amesoeurs, whose lone full-length was released in 2009.

Nonetheless, Teyssier was thoughtful, open and in apparent good spirits in talking about his visual style and how it relates to the music of Les Discrets, the balance of the two in his life and how — with so much of the band based on his graphic work for it — Hadorn came to direct the video for the title-track to Ariettes Oubliées…, which seems to center on the theme of loss in a manner more direct than Teyssier‘s art might. He discussed translating Les Discrets‘ many layers to a live setting and the interpretation of John Verlaine poetry that resulted in both the title and major thematic center of the record.

Complete interview is after the jump. Please enjoy.

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With a one-two punch of releases from the two bands, who share a country of origin, a stylistic pastiche, European tour dates, a graphic artist, a record label and a drummer, comparisons between Les Discrets and Alcest feel inevitable. Alcest released their third album, Les Voyages de l’Âme (review here) via Prophecy Productions at the very start of the year, and now, led by multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Fursy Teyssier (who also handles the aforementioned visuals), Lyon’s Les Discrets answers back with Ariettes Oubliées…, their second album after 2010’s excellent Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées. The eight-track, 43-minute collection is shorter than Alcest’s latest, and heavier in a traditionally metallic sense when it wants to be, but no less emotionally gripping or melodically complex. In terms of the actual sound of the album, aside from Winterhalter, who drums, what the two acts most share is the richly evocative melody and the emotionalism that’s become a mainstay element in post-black metal in large part thanks to both Les Discrets and Alcest’s contributions to the genre and Teyssier and Alcest mastermind Stéphane “Neige” Paut’s common roots in the band Amesoeurs (in which Winterhalter also drummed), who released a self-titled album in 2009 before splitting up. As closely linked as the two outfits are, there’s bound to be some sonic overlap, and Ariettes Oubliées… bears that out, as did the first album, but Les Discrets emerges from their sophomore effort with a personality and direction of their own as well.

Part of that is thanks to the contributions of vocalist/lyricist Audrey Hadorn, who complements Teyssier’s own singing for nearly the entire album, one or the other dropping out at various points – mostly, it seems, for dramatic effect. The distinguishing factor is convenient for discerning one band’s methods from the other’s, but more importantly, Hadorn greatly enriches the material on Ariettes Oubliées…, and her voice helps carry across the wistfulness and longing that seems to drip from the music. Time and mortality seem to be central themes, or at very least they’re easily read into the fragility present in the melodicism, but Les Discrets have a few moments of unabashed black metal, whether it’s the final moments of longest cut and highlight “La Traversée” or the more progressive approach that shows up in the surprisingly angular “La Nuit Muette.” Unsurprisingly for anyone who encountered the first album, Les Discrets take their time in letting the songs unfold, and work within an open sensibility as regards pace and instrumentation. Teyssier layers acoustic and electric guitar along with his bass, and the resulting complexity accounts for much of the richness in their sound. It’s not a wash of melody, but it’s not far off. Vocals remain crisp, clear and unburied, but like everything else on Ariettes Oubliées…, they are impeccably balanced, brilliantly mixed, and work in service to the songs and the atmosphere the material is looking to present. The gradual start the album is given with “Linceul d’Hiver” is met with a coinciding triumph in the instrumental “Les Regrets,” which not only echoes a musical theme, but shows the depth of Les Discrets’ commitment to structure – maintained no matter how far into indulgence they may seem to be wandering at any given moment.

Foremost, the album is beautiful, and – like Teyssier’s graphic work – masterfully intricate, carefully woven and precise in its execution. With layers of guitar playing off each other even in the most subdued moments of “La Traversée,” it’s clear maintaining a live sound isn’t the intent of the band, but it’s worth noting that nothing feels unnatural or overly processed on Ariettes Oubliées…, and instead, the melody that seems to be always at the fore is presented as organically assembled. Winterhalter has the delicate charge of grounding the material, and seems almost relieved to break into blast-beats at the end of “La Traversée,” but his work here is no less complex or engaging than either Teyssier or Hadorn’s. “Le Mouvement Perpétuel” continues the background ambience that pervades most of the tracks, but makes its greatest impact following a subtle but undeniably heavy build/apex and quiet part, where the guitars seem to stand tall on top of the rest of the song’s density at about 4:40 and anchor the remaining two minutes, during which Les Discrets embark on a long fade that’s all the more a march for the time it consumes, finally leaving just the strong current of notes that has backed the whole progression. The semi-titular “Ariettes Oubliées I: Je Devine à Travers un Murmure…“ begins acoustically with Teyssier’s solo vocals before Winterhalter and Hadorn join in, and seems as though it’s going to work within heavy/quiet tradeoffs after double-bass drumming and squiggly guitars take hold at 1:50. I’d have nothing to criticize if that’s the case, since Les Discrets never seem to just work within one sphere at a time, but the track finds a sort of middle ground in its final third, with more active acoustic guitar up front and a flowing river of electric guitar melody behind.

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About a month ago, when I was slathering over the brilliance of Alcest‘s Écailles de Lune, John from the infamous Ripple Effect blog noted that he preferred the work of fellow French black metalgazers Les Discrets, and the name stuck with me. I finally checked out a couple tracks on YouTube and yesterday, while also trying yet again to get my hands on a copy of the new Electric Wizard (failure), I grabbed Les Discrets‘ only full-length to date, Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées, at Vintage Vinyl.

Those familiar with the Prophecy Productions label know they specialize in the melancholic, and Les Discrets is no exception. One thing that surprises me about post-black metal is how much it seems to have in common ideologically with the emotional European doom of bands like Paradise Lost or mid-period Anathema. It’s a connection I haven’t heard many people make, but it feels fairly obvious to me as comparison point sound-wise. In any case, much of that same candlelit ambience seems to have been inherited by the likes of Les Discrets, and they put it to good use.

Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées is an atmospheric piece through and through, but I think what I enjoy most about it — more than the drama, more than the emotional or tonal weight of the songs — is that the vocals are low in the mix. It seems like the simplest thing in the world, and it seems like a silly reason to think a record rules, but Fursy Teyssier is balanced just right with the music. He and Audrey Hadorn stand out when they need to, as on “Sur les Quais,” but when the music gets heavy, as on the doomly-paced but gorgeous “Chanson d’Automne,” they’re no farther forward than the guitars or Winterhalter‘s drums. It really is one of the strongest aspects of the album.

Teyssier, who is also a member of Amesoeurs with Neige of Alcest, leads the band on Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées and provides the stunning and dark album art (he also did Écailles de Lune and has done other Prophecy releases as well), but as much as Les Discrets may be a one-man spearheaded project, there’s nothing lacking in terms of fullness of sound or space in the production. It’s probably not going to be everyone’s go-to listening experience, either for the drama, the French lyrics, the melodic emotionality, or the fact that closer “Une Matinée d’Hiver” sounds like the soundtrack to the “she’s leaving but everything’s going to be okay” sensitive moment in every teen comedy ever, but as a mood piece, Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées is a strong outing in a burgeoning style that’s really only beginning to see exposure. Thanks to John for the killer recommendation.