Shortly after releasing their full-length debut Neurasthenie, Niflheim changed their name to Gris and released their second album, Il etait une foret..., in 2007, just one day before the winter solstice. I didn't like Neurasthenie. The instrumentation was great but the distortion wasn't foggy enough for my tastes. This album, on the other hand, is a different beast entirely.
Beginning from the first song and going all the way to the end, this album takes you on a journey of tremendous sorrow but also of tremendous beauty. First of all, it's quite obvious that these guys have been practicing their craft. The drums are now capable of double bass and more elaborate fills that help to break up the pace. The best example I can point to is their performance on “Le gala des gens heureux”. That song is loaded with double bass.
The guitars exhibit a greater deal of complexity and play a lot more high-pitched lead riffs (I especially loved those awesome lead riffs on “Cicatrice”), but they still make sure to give praise to Burzum. What really makes me love the guitars is the improved distortion. It no longer sounds shallow and weak. It feels much deeper and more atmospheric. As for the vocals, they now sound less like Xasthur and more like Austere. I like this change as it helps the music express much greater sorrow.
Out of all the songs on this album, my favorite is easily “La dryade”. The band throws in a lot of non-metal instruments throughout the album, most notably on “Cicatrice”, but this is where all those elements are combined into something of heartbreaking beauty. It begins with some simple and solemn piano which is later accompanied by flutes and violins. Their performance starts off slow but gradually grows in intensity until they reach their climax and gently fall back down. This song expresses a wide range of emotions: loneliness, isolation, bewilderment, but it's also very graceful and introspective. It reflects those moments when you're walking through the wilderness and the only company you have is your thoughts. I especially love that crescendo shortly after the halfway point. This is one of my all-time favorite non-metal songs. Its beauty is profound.
This is seriously one of the best depressive black metal albums ever recorded. I love the agonized vocals, I loved the vastly improved instrumental work, I loved the lead guitar work, and I especially loved “La dryade”. If you're a fan of depressive black metal, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this album. There's no excuse not to listen to it.
0 comments:
Post a Comment