Crépuscule - Néant CD

Genre (s): Atmospheric Black Metal
Lyrical theme (s): Death, Darkness, Duality, Illness
Country: Canada (Québec)
Year: 2011
Type: Full-length

Néant is the second life sign of this Canadian project, but the first one that could be named “full length”. It offers six songs and a total playing time of 37 minutes. One of this songs is a pure intro and another one named Les Yeux Pleins de Boue is a pure revival, as it was originally released on the demo in 2009. If you subtract the playing time of those two songs you’ll only have half an hour left, but that’s no big deal. Atomes is the name of the intro track and except some droning sounds and shriek melodies there’s nothing really amazing here. You could ask yourself why there is such a track, but the next one will give the answer.

Un Fruit Mourant pour les Corbeaux de l’Immortalité is the name of this track and it’s opened by calm e-guitar melodies and some synthesizer sounds. After some seconds with this body of sound some heavy, oppresive and upsetting atmosphere kicks in, which is quite akin to the one of the intro. The only real difference: More melodies were added to the thick body of sound and of course everything is accompanied by the drums. This mid-tempo tracks really delivers a huge atmosphere which is enhanced by the lack of vocals which could have added some less oppressive feeling but even the following tracks with drums can offer some similiar atmospheres.

The quality of those created atmospheres is therefore quite constant, as there is no moment in which it is too thin or implausible. Although the basic trend in terms of mood is this upsetting one, the whole atmosphere is pending between dreamy melodies, majestic moments and nearly insane sounds. This is implemented through a variation in the songs structures as the tempo and melodies in general are varied according to the mood he wants to create. A good example would be the track called Brumes. While the songs starts with a really loud synthesizer intro which adds some majestic feelings it gets accompanied by upsetting guitar sounds quite soon. After the tempo went up from mid- to up-tempo there is a break and some mid-tempo rock rhythms are kicking in, just to be transformed into the typical black metal riffing and vice versa. The whole song repeats the stadiums mentioned before over and over and even some passages without music and just spoken vocals are represented.

Of course, there are some points of criticism as well, for instance – and how else could it have been? – the production. Although it is good in general, the drums are lacking power (at least the bass drum is quite calm) and the synthesizer sounds are normally just to loud and are overcasting the guitar melodies from time to time (for instance in Brumes‘s intro). Another flaw would be the transitions between the different song structures. Brumes offers the whole emotional bandwith the atmosphere creates on this record, but it also has lovelessly done, abrupt transitions as well and some flow would have been nice here. The last point I would like to mention would be the repition of some core melodies throughout the record: Although it’s no problem when well dosed elements are added it seems like some of the core elements are repeated in nearly every song and this adds a slightly boring touch.

Conclusion:
Néant offers a well done atmosphere throughout the whole record which is implented through a huge variation of sound. Nearly everything oscillates between the typical black metal riffs and rock rhythms. The record is defined through a steady interplay of emotions and through its extensive use of upsetting sounds it is surely no light food. The record is well done, of course except the mentioned flaws, and offering a somewhat unique style (some “I’ve heard that before!” thoughts are coming up, but I can’t tell where I heard it, so nevermind). Take a close look if you like upsetting records!

Tracks:
1. Atomes 02:33
2. Un Fruit Mourant pour les Corbeaux de l'Immortalité 06:47
3. Vie 05:03
4. Brumes 09:31
5. Mort 07:17
6. Les Yeux Pleins de Boue (2009) 06:17
Spielzeit 37:28