The music of French entity Mourir could be said to resemble a cinematic inevitability; like the celebrated time lapse technique hastening a terrible maritime storm approaching coastal dwellers, one knows what is coming; further perhaps that what is coming is not good. But, at the same time, acknowledging the terrible beauty to be found at the heart of the storm.
Hence listening to the six pieces that comprise Disgrâce prompts feelings of unease and dread. The inevitable demise, prompted by final movement Soit is coming, remorseless, but still you stay to witness what you know will be carnage. Third piece De Pisse Et D’Orgueil is where this concerto of despair both starts to coalesce and fall apart, the crescendo of percussion building to a whirlwind that disappears as soon as it starts, ushering the way for following movement Bâtards Égarés. The doomed screams that take the place of ‘vocals’ are placed so far back in the mix of the other sounds that the listener starts to second guess, wondering if these are noises emanating from the inside rather than the outside, the feeling compounded by the dread euphony created by a barrage of guitars designed to cause the flesh to crawl with disgust. Thus, without even noticing, much less giving consent, the listener has become one with the music created by the composer.
At it’s most complex, it’s most ambitious, Bâtards Égarés finds itself allied almost to the Musique concrète of Paul Schaeffer; music where the manipulation of both sound and voice becomes synthesised as one, transcending notions of ‘verse’ or ‘chorus’; All action begets reaction of course, and here this can be found in more prosaic material such as penultimate piece En Flammes, which feels very much more a ‘traditional’ style of modern black metal in construction and execution. This reviewer would favour the former, but not at the expense of the latter which serves to give balance and completion to the whole; In summary the album should appeal to those of a more avant-garde bent, but lovers of the traditional should not be deterred by that verdict. Disgrâce is a piece of work that rewards patience form the listener not to say an open mind. And it’s rewards are great.
Disgrâce releases on September 9th.
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