This French one-man project seriously left an impression with their 2009 debut Vacuum; maybe not so much that it wasn’t overlooked when it came to the end of year polls but given the number of quality albums that came out in 2009 that’s certainly not an insult to Vaerohn’s ability. Already 2010 is shaping up incredibly well with albums from Negura Bunget, Finntroll, Sigh, Les Discrets and Heathen already in mind for end of year polls (and we’re only in March!)…but I digress.
I couldn’t wait to get this one in the stereo, and as soon as I did it was clear there has been a massive step up in terms of quality and craftsmanship. This is by no means an instant album and it’s not likely to clobber you over the head straight away but it is rather an album that, as opposed to having to work really hard to get into, has you wanting to dig, dig, and keep digging your way to the core to really get to grips with what it’s all about. I don’t know how better to explain it really. Opening with a dark and restrained orchestral passage, ‘Vulgum Pecus’ lends a definite air of foreboding to things and certainly has me intrigued and wanting more. The applause at the end of this one, and sporadically splashed throughout the recordings is one of a reserved and dare I say stuffy audience rather than a fevered, sweaty mosh pit quickly quashing any idea of this being a live album. It’s almost like a funeral march, and rises and falls back into quiescence leading perfectly into ‘Paria.’ This all starts with an eerie sense of calm and the drumming style lends itself to that kind of lounge-jazz sort of vibe. Suave and sophisticated, deep and mellow and swiftly swept away with a series of harsh guitars which disrupt everything and ascend into a frenzied chaos with wild, tumultuous drumming and sounds and noises flying around at free will. Even through the cracks we can hear a kind of wailing or crying in the mix. There’s a real turbulent wind blowing through, sweeping up and fizzling back down back into that ominous quiescence which this time is built upon with crepuscular keys and a child-like and psychotic series of la-la’s.
There is genuine anguish that comes through in the harrowing screams, though they also portray a sense of madness in the clean yet discordant cries on ‘Rahu,’ and especially on ‘Hel’ with the sonorous wailing vocals which sound fantastic. Madness and insanity is something that really seems to come across in the music whether intentional or not; ‘Monosis’ in particular with its momentary chitter chatter sounds rather twisted and surreal; a trip into deepest, darkest annals of the subconscious and drinking and cavorting with your inner demons. The accordion plays and the room spins and faces change shape and everyone in the brightly coloured room is laughing except you who is swiftly taken through a black hole and really, dear reader, should I be telling you all this and did someone slip a hallucinogenic in my cup of tea?
On with the show. There is a lot more light and shade in this album than with Vacuum; a kind of Grand Guignol-esque chiaroscuro that breaks up the darkness with some real carnival-esque moments that conjures up images of flashing lights and candyfloss and little ‘uns laughing on the Ferris wheel and big scary clowns. Sinister but light hearted, in a way. Once things get settled you can be lulled into a sense of security with hypnotic post-black metal guitars that play out in almost endless repetition. I love the creepy piano part on ‘Rahu;’ like footsteps on creaky floorboards approaching and then all rises into a crescendo with booming orchestration. The oboe shrieks discordantly, scraping against the plinky-plonky piano; it all feels very ye olde worlde like telling a tale from the Victorian era.
‘Eros’ brings an odd sense of calm, its reflective mood set by the clean guitars and resonant bass. There’s almost a sense of romance at one point and the following track, ‘Monosis’ is a more unusually mellow, reflective break from the anguished madness and there’s a bluesy note to this one as well.
Unpredictable. Unsettling. Unhinged. This really is a schizophrenic assault on the eardrums. Think Jack The Ripper seeing his reflection and picking a fight on himself. Probably in one of those creepy, distorted fairground mirrors. Claustrophobic. Maddened. Grotesque. Magnificent! Really, for an album I said was hard to put into words they really flow quite freely to describe this album. Twisted. Resplendent. Sophisticated. Spooky. Okay, okay, I’ll stop. This album isn’t going to be for everyone, but if my review has piqued your interest just a little then I urge you to go buy this album and make up your own mind. Well structured chaos and a great piece of visual, avant-garde black metal madness for the metal cognoscenti. It will take some beating to keep this off my top 10 this year. Outstanding.
http://www.myspace.com/penseesnocturnes
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