of the biggest cliches in metal is for the band to say in interviews to promote their forth coming album is going to be heavier this time around if not their heaviest album to date. After all who wants to hear... " this is barely metal , we are really wussing out on this one" Well have no fear here, this French band is back harder with the black metal dialed back up to rival the fury of their older work. Though this doesn't mean it's their most dynamic album as in order to capture the heaviness some of the more Alcest like elements we have heard from them in the past are dialed way back if not forsaken entirely. "When the Stars Align" is pretty much just a sonic slap of blasting heaviness front to back.
When they slow down into the throbbing of "the Ritual" there is more substance and it allows the guitars to shine in the murk. Midway into this song the drums speed things back up into a blast. Then it ebbs back down around the seven minute mark into some really stunning guitar work that excels at not shredding, but a lush atmospheric tone. They do pull out some pretty tasteful solos on the next song, but it's the sounds that are more of the key selling point with these guys for me. There is a more aggressive mid tempo attack to "In Screams and Flames" that is heavier than when they go into balls to the wall blasting. They hold off on the blasting until the final two minutes.
They close the album with an 11 plus minute epic. When you write songs about HP Lovecraft stories dark is really the only way it can go. It doesn't drag, but doesn't really pull me in and falls some where in the middle to become a pleasant pulse in the background. I'll give this one an 8, which means while it is a move in a heavier direction it might not be as inspired without the depth of melodies we have heard from these guys in the past.
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