In the reviews section of Issue #136 (Abbath cover, February 2016), we introduce you to Les Acteurs de L’Ombre, an intriguing French label dedicated to exposing the world to creative extremity (mostly of the blackened sort) with a focus on French bands. This year, the label launched Emanations, a division meant to spotlight emerging local talent with limited cassette and CD releases, and several interesting recordings have surfaced as a result.
Profundae Libidines – El Viaje Definitivo
This Parisian duo specializes in lo-fi black oddity, never coming across as anything less than extreme while allowing a limited-quality production sand away the razor edges. The music doesn’t so much rock as suffocate and permeate. Feeling like your basement-recorded odyssey just doesn’t make the cut sonically? Listen to EVD and reconsider.
In Cauda Venenum – In Cauda Venenum
As with many LADLO bands, ICV establishes black metal as its base of operations, then explodes in many directions from there. The epic space, the occasionally doomy vibe and all the artistic paths taken off that main road make this journey (comprising two 21-minute ear-grabbers) well worth the time.
Barús – EP
If their debut EP (called EP) is a representative indication, Barús are a technically complex death metal quintet that have every intention of destroying, erasing and improving your mental processes and teaching you a new meaning of lifelong pain. A misreading of the above sentence could mislead folks into believing that this is some sort of brootal tech djent… Fuck no! It’s a wonderful palate cleanser in the company of the labels blacker leanings, and it totally slays.
