The French label Distant Voices did surprise me every time for both the sonic result of each release, as well as the devotional artwork involved. This time it is not different, for the CD-version of the sophomore Scars From A Dead Room album has been designed by the Distant Voices team once again. It’s a cold, totally black edition with two cards inserted, containing quite mysterious artwork (which does fit the philosophy of both label and artist). There are 55 hand-numbered copies (no repressing!) and there was a special edition too, more strictly limited, but that one sold out. And for completion: Vengeance has been released on tape too via sister-label BLWBCK.
This successor of the nameless debut (review: see update September 21st 2014) consists of nine tracks, clocking nearly one hour. And evidently the basics go on where Scars From A Dead Room came to an end, though there might be little more depth and detaillation.
Vengeance offers us in general (I hate it to use this kind of description; ‘in general’, for it denigrates the essence as if the mediocre might become standard) fast and harsh, technical and sometimes little progressive Black Metal with a Post-Black attitude. The main parts are speed-up and energetic in execution, with a nice balance in between the fierceness of the brutal assaults, and the subtlety of crafted song writing. A great example is A Prophecy Of Doom, which isn’t but a mesmerizing Doom-trip, pounding and masterfully intolerant, and to my opinion one of the best Black Metal tracks from Canadian soil in years (hello The Great Old Ones!).
Scars From A Dead Room, despite being quite intense and nasty in performance, have quite some atmosphere and integrity going on, though it might sound less ‘droning’ than the debut. Actually, the progression, whether you like it or not, in execution, is remarkable, yet then again, the initial dreamlike atmosphere and sludgy rawness remain maintained. The sound might be little improved, i.e. even more forceful and still as rough-edged and unclean, and this surely strengthens the general spheres that covers this album.
Besides, the sound quality, once again, is actually quite professional (and believe me: I am really ‘into’ almost all releases on Distant Voices, but the production often sucks – not this time, as you might notice). It surely is not of the cleaned-up kind, with a fake mix, but the result offers the listener a quite enjoyable sonic experience sound-wise. I guess the best example might be the vocals of Montserrat Figueras on Ay Trista Vida Corporal, taken from Homenatge Al Misteri d’Elx – Le Vespra, based on a medieval semi-love story etc…
The French label Distant Voices did surprise me every time for both the sonic result of each release, as well as the devotional artwork involved. This time it is not different, for the CD-version of the sophomore Scars From A Dead Room album has been designed by the Distant Voices team once again. It’s a cold, totally black edition with two cards inserted, containing quite mysterious artwork (which does fit the philosophy of both label and artist). There are 55 hand-numbered copies (no repressing!) and there was a special edition too, more strictly limited, but that one sold out. And for completion: Vengeance has been released on tape too via sister-label BLWBCK.
This successor of the nameless debut (review: see update September 21st 2014) consists of nine tracks, clocking nearly one hour. And evidently the basics go on where Scars From A Dead Room came to an end, though there might be little more depth and detaillation.
Vengeance offers us in general (I hate it to use this kind of description; ‘in general’, for it denigrates the essence as if the mediocre might become standard) fast and harsh, technical and sometimes little progressive Black Metal with a Post-Black attitude. The main parts are speed-up and energetic in execution, with a nice balance in between the fierceness of the brutal assaults, and the subtlety of crafted song writing. A great example is A Prophecy Of Doom, which isn’t but a mesmerizing Doom-trip, pounding and masterfully intolerant, and to my opinion one of the best Black Metal tracks from Canadian soil in years (hello The Great Old Ones!).
Scars From A Dead Room, despite being quite intense and nasty in performance, have quite some atmosphere and integrity going on, though it might sound less ‘droning’ than the debut. Actually, the progression, whether you like it or not, in execution, is remarkable, yet then again, the initial dreamlike atmosphere and sludgy rawness remain maintained. The sound might be little improved, i.e. even more forceful and still as rough-edged and unclean, and this surely strengthens the general spheres that covers this album.
Besides, the sound quality, once again, is actually quite professional (and believe me: I am really ‘into’ almost all releases on Distant Voices, but the production often sucks – not this time, as you might notice). It surely is not of the cleaned-up kind, with a fake mix, but the result offers the listener a quite enjoyable sonic experience sound-wise. I guess the best example might be the vocals of Montserrat Figueras on Ay Trista Vida Corporal, taken from Homenatge Al Misteri d’Elx – Le Vespra, based on a medieval semi-love story etc…