Sombres Forets is a depressive black metal band from Quebec, formed in 2005 by a mysterious man known only as Annatar. One year later, he released his debut album, Quintessence. It's been a long time since I've listened to this album, so let's see what they have to offer.
The album begins with a rumbling dark ambient piece that lasts for about three and a half minutes before we finally reach the meat of the music. I admire the production. Although it's not as cloudy as I would like, the guitars still feel as cold as the forests of the Canadian north. Since this is a one-man band, the drums are obviously programmed. However, they're programmed quite well. They mainly stick to slow and steady beats, the snare is quite prominent in the mix, and it sounds quite real. It doesn't feel false or mechanical at all.
The vocals consist of a pained rasp that is cloaked in reverb. I really like how his performance reminds me of Xasthur. Both the drums and the vocals are great, but Annatar's strongest skill set is the guitar. He mainly pays tribute to Burzum, but these riffs are crafted quite well and are pleasing to the ear. Not only that, but like Gris, he likes to play a lot of high-pitched lead riffs that add a lot of energy to the music. There are also songs such as “Vents des Désespoirs” where he plays more standard mid-paced black metal riffs that help to spice things up. On top of all that, he also includes some synths and acoustic guitar that help to enhance the atmosphere.
Overall, this was a pretty nice album. I especially enjoyed the Xasthur-like vocals and the great guitar performance.
0 comments:
Post a Comment