I’ve been on a bit of a black metal kick of late, jamming the likes of Carach Angren, Unholy Ritual, Oblomov, Lux Divina and other more amicable, often symphonic versions of black metal. And while France’s Aldaaron are not Symphonic black metal, they do have some keyboards here and there, and their delivery is just as bombastic, majestic and melodic, if in a more pagan/woodsy way.

I’m reminded of the likes of Walpurgisnacht and Belenos with Aldaaron’s pagan-y and brittle but slicing delivery that’s riff based and drenched in seething melodics. The epic structures contained in the 6 lengthy songs (and two brief instrumentals) within the album’s 47 minute run time are all well crafted and dutifully rooted in Scandinavian black metal a la Dissection and such, balancing tremolo picked ferocity and organic but biting, pagan furor.

The production is perfect for black metal, not too polished and not to thin, and the vocals of Ioldar are the typical high end shrieks, (with a pagan, clean chant and there). But Nous Reviendrons Immortels is about riffs, great, perfect black metal riffs that have a bit of a Germanic ring to them: Militaristic marches (“Nirnaeth Arnoediad Part 1”, “Royaume”), blistering harmonies (personal favorite “Nirnaeth Arnoediad Part 2”, “En Route Vers La Bataille”, “Royaume”, “Propheties”) and some heathen restraint (start and other moments of the other wise epic “En Route Vers La Bataille”). All of it is complementary and executed with a precision and vitriol that’s back by drummer Morkk’s superb performance.

In all, a superb black metal album that’s manages to do everything I like about black metal perfectly.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments