Seth - La France des Maudits (Season of Mist)

For this tired old hack, Seth are the pre-eminent black metal band to have emerged from France this century, and their new album sees them cementing that reputation and then some. The band sees themselves very much in the tradition of the revolutionaries of the Bastille, dwelling in the timeless void where the whispers of that revolution still haunt the cobblestones and the phantom caress of the guillotine’s blade lingers in the air. Reports seeping out of the band’s home country suggest that something anarchic is fermenting again now, so it might well be that La France des Maudits takes on a strangely prophetic nature as events unfold…

With a lineup brimming with experience and credentials that read like a who’s who of the extreme metal underground, Seth has once again crafted an album that is not just a collection of songs, but a manifesto of black metal artistry. This latest offering, deeply rooted in the historical and cultural soil of their homeland, is a dark journey through the annals of rebellion and despair, captured in nine anthems of fury and defiance.

Opening with Paris des Maléfices, the band sets a formidable tone, a whirlwind of guitars and keyboards painting a portrait of a city not just of light, but of illuminating darkness. Saint Vincent’s vocals are as ferocious as ever, a visceral cry from the depths of revolution. This track is a masterclass in setting the thematic stage, a chaotic yet meticulously structured blend of black metal fury and gothic atmospherics. If you loved their last album, La Morsure du Christ, this track lets you know you’re in for another joyous hellride…

Et Que Vive le Diable! continues this sonic assault, with Alsvid’s drumming reaching near-mythical intensity. His performance throughout the album is nothing short of state-of-the-art black metal battery, delivering precise, relentless blasts that underpin the swirling maelstrom of guitars. The sheer aggression and technical prowess on display are breathtaking.

The epic La Destruction des Reliques is where the album truly shines, a tapestry of shadow and defiance woven with the threads of ancient prophecies and occult whispers. Here, Heimoth and Drakhian’s guitars carve through the mix with razor-sharp riffs, while Pierre Le Pape’s keyboards add layers of haunting melody. This track, like the album itself, is both a nod to the past and a bold step forward, melding traditional black metal elements with a modern sensibility.

The brief yet poignant interlude, Marianne, serves as a moment of reflection before the listener is plunged back into the maelstrom with Ivre du Sang des Saints. don’t be fooled by the Sisters of Mercy feel that envelops the song’s beginning – the ferocity of this track is palpable, each note dripping with the wine of condemned men and the blood of saints. It’s a visceral narrative of rebellion, each chord a strike against divine oppression.

Insurrection stands as the album’s centerpiece, an expansive composition that encapsulates the raging, blackened spirit of Seth. Spanning over seven minutes, it is a journey through the heart of darkness, where the facades of grandeur crumble to reveal the raw flesh and stench of true humanity. The closing moments of the track echo with the spirit of revolt, a clarion call to arms.

The album concludes with the hauntingly beautiful Le Vin du Condamné, a track that serves as a requiem for the fallen, a final testament to the power and passion that SETH has poured into this opus.

La France des Maudits is one hell of an album, a declaration of war, and a call to arms for all who dare to dream of a world remade. It is an album that resonates with the echoes of a Paris besieged not by armies, but by souls clamouring for liberation. In the grand tradition of those unyielding souls who once stormed the Bastille, Seth marches forward creating some of the most febrile yet important music ever to come out of France. Vive la revolution!