Location: Gatineau, Québec
Country: Canada
Genre: Grindcore
Full Length: Pleine Noirceur
Format: Digital album, limited edition 12" clear w/ smoke vinyl (second pressing), limited edition compact disc (second pressing)
Label: Noise Salvation
Release date: November 20, 2020
Fuck the Facts! I’m here to review
Right off the bat, that’s a fun headline for a review.
This is actually the band name and the album we will be talking about today is called:
-Pleine Noirceur
So, here we have a Canadian Grindcore band! A sub-genre of metal I never really talk about but a sound I do enjoy from time to time. For those who don’t know it’s known for being a very ‘meat and potatoes’ style in the sense of similar to Death Metal it has its cliché notes and overall sonic aesthetic it follows throughout almost all the bands.
For Grindcore it’s normally maniac/crazy screaming over just repeating fast-paced instrumentals with not too much variety or technique involved, a band that defies this cliché would be a band like ‘Dying Fetus’ who especially on their album ‘Wrong One To Fuck With’ definitely explored greater creativity and sound for the sub-genre.
But back to this band, I have to admit this album really surprised me. It had the trademark high pitch screaming accompanying the record but it’s in the instrumentals and production and even some of the off the wall patterns incorporated throughout that makes it such an interesting listen.
For example, I hear so many various influences such as:
-Black Metal
-Speed Metal
-Noise
-Death Metal
-Death Core
-Punk
Not only does it borrow from a lot of different diverse genres but it showcases them out in front of the song, I’ve talked about cases where ‘subtly’ can be an overlooked and often underappreciated way to incorporate new ideas and music but when a band like this lets their influences speak for themselves it’s really badass and makes a statement.
It seemed like from the very first song I was left wondering ‘what sound will I hear next’ or ‘what will they add into this one or that it was a really fun, engaging experience that made me look forward to in a way the creativity coming from track to track.
If I had to compare what they are doing to someone recently I’d have to say use the Black Metal outfit ‘Liturgy’. A one-woman act I believe (similar to Burzum) anyway she recorded this album called ‘H.A.Q.Q’ that just threw all the traditional elements of Black Metal out the window in exchange for extreme use of noise and glitch and total experimentation.
To be honest, a lot of the metal community don’t even like her music because they don’t believe she can be considered ‘Black Metal’ as she’s strayed too far from the original sound.
But nonetheless, preferences aside the level of creativity (although not as extreme) are relatable here in their embracing of the different core influences and sounds.
With the wonderful use of production and elements of surprise, the vocal performances were amazing and as batshit as you could ever hope for in a Grindcore album.
This is the kind of album you choose to listen to if you’re sick of the same ‘Meat and Potato’s’ sound and you want something more, if you’re an ‘old head’ or ‘traditionalist’ then maybe this album isn’t for you, our maybe it is? The only way to truly know is by helping these guys out by streaming the album below and helping them in their career!
It’s a thumbs up from me! –Corban Skipwith
Lineup:
Topon Das: Guitars
Mathieu "Vil" Vilandre: Guitars, drums
Mel Mongeon: Vocals, lyrics
Track list:
1. Doubt, Fear, Neglect
2. Ailleurs
3. Pleine Noirceur
4. Aube
5. Sans Lumière
6. Sans Racines
7. Everything I Love Is Ending
8. A Dying Light
9. Dropping Like Flies
10. L'abandon
11. An Ending
12. _cide
This review can also be read at Corban Skipwith's Facebook group Relentless Reviews With Corbz. -DW
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