In 2006, Sombres Forets released their debut album Quintessence, and I really liked it. Two years later, he released Royaume De Glace, and it totally blew me away.
It begins with a cloudy ambient piece that sounds a lot more dreamy and wondrous than the intro of the previous album. The black metal itself sounds a lot more powerful and dynamic than it did on the last album as well. This can probably be chalked up to the better production. The drums are also vastly improved. Aside from the slow and steady beats, they're now capable of pulling off some pretty sweet fills and more complex cymbal work. There are also moments when they play these beats that sound quite similar to blues.
The vocals still consist of that pained rasp that give wondrous praise to Xasthur. Just like Gris, he found a style that works and he's sticking to it. Hell, there are even moments when his vocal performance reminds me of Gris. Of course, both bands hail from Quebec, so that's not a surprise. Best of all are the guitars. They still worship Burzum, but the songwriting is more thoughtful and catchy, and the riffs themselves resonate with a greater deal of power, which can best be heard on songs like “Cold Forgotten Earth”. Not only that, but there are also moments such as those on “The Forest” where they play some pretty sweet solos. On top of all that, they also make sure to play lots of clean and acoustic guitar that help to reinforce the cold and morose atmosphere of the album.
If you ask me, Royaume De Glace is way better than Quintessence. It's more dynamic, more powerful, the songwriting is more infectious, the production is better, and the riffs are better. If you're a fan of depressive black metal, then I highly recommend this album.
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