Bahrrecht “L’Aube Glacée”
Ketzer records
It may seem surprising for uninitiated, but France in 90-th was the second country after Norway, where attitude to black metal was much more serious than just «next modern trend in metal music». And French black metal musicians may argue well for the title «true» with Varg and Euronymous themselves, if the last one was alive. Although, 2016 is ending, the dark legacy of half-mystical LLN (Les Légions Noires) lives to this day. And Bahrrecht are one of the brightest representatives of this legacy.
Some history: Bahrrecht is a band from Lorraine, north-east region in France. The band was formed in 2001, and in 2005 their first demo Black Metal Way Of Life was released. The first album Nuit de Neige was recorded in 2011, and now it’s time for sophomore album L’Aube Glacée.
The first album was a bunch of the darkest evil, clothed in a form of music: aggressive and forceful black metal in all its infernal brilliancy. L’Aube Glacée, unlike its predecessor is much more melodic, but still didn’t lose its roots. The band members emphasize the importance of black metal infuences and demonstrate how much it mean to them during the whole album.
L’Aube Glacée opens with acoustic intro “Hommage A Une Foi Perdue” (“A Tribute To The Lost Faith”) with the wind blowing on a background. Absolutely non «black» and very melodic, it’ll be much more inherent to the storytellers Blind Guardian. But the next track “Un Orage Eterne” (“Eternal Storm”) rejects doubts about black metal flatly: ragged intro riff, blast beats and fast guitar line with a melodic solo in the end of a song. Thulsadoom’s screaming vocals fits great to a whole picture, created by music. Also it needs to mention that all song are sung in a native musicians’ language – French.
In “Le Geant Des Neiges” (“Snow Giant”) there is brutal riff and acoustic passage, which soon is covered by raw guitar sound and the song goes back to black metal, turning to the next track. “Le Tombeau De Ma Memoire” (“The Grave Of My Memories”) is a longest song in an album (7:27), and the most atmospheric, I guess. Brutal drums (great drummer Hellfire work), the same raw guitar sound from Feanor and Nehsit with short shrill solos and in the end all this diabolical splendor flows to the crunches of fire with dull rumble, from where the sequel is born, much more melodic but still dark.
Next track “Ceux De La Nuit” (“Those Of The Night”) intro reminds “Fight Fire With Fire” by Metallica. In a whole, the music line is quite smooth (if it can be said so about black metal). But there is a surprising melodic passage, a with a little pathos and more inherent, lets’ say, to a power metal, especially with an acoustic guitar. Also from acoustic intro with guitar and string instruments started next track “Dieux des bois” (“Wooden Gods”) – slow, melodic and very atmospheric. But in the second half of the song everything changes rapidly: the pace is raised and vocalist more pronounces lyrics than sing them. After that guitars are back to melody and there goes an epic ending.
Titled “L’Aube Glacée” (“Ice Down”) is different by changing tempo and rhythmical patterns. Sinister whispering on a background of acoustic guitar make the songs very atmospheric. The same guitar can be heard in “Le Gout Du Sang” (“Taste Of Blood”) – melancholic track with wind blowing and horses neighing.
The album ends with “Palingenesie de mon âme” (“Palingenesis Of My Soul”). Hurricane black metal intro turns to ragged riffs with fast vocal line and battle screams on a background. Blast beats breaks off and coming to acoustic interlude with a calm voice of a teller, that is changed by melodic passage which lasts till the end of a song.
Generally the album is surprising by many things: aquarelle picture in bright colors as a cover, melody with a raw sound, each song composition – those are the things that can hardly be expected from black metal band. However, Bahrrecht are playing exactly black metal, in all its infernal beauty. And, honestly, I don’t want to find out if this album is «true» or not. Let everyone decide this for himself. Or just close his eyes and enjoy the pictures of winter forest and snowy mountains, which are stands before you while listening to this album.
L’Aube Glacée will be released in October, 31 by Ketzer Records.
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