Band: Silhouette
Album: Les Dires de L’âme
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal / Black gaze
Country: France
Label: Antiq Records
Released: 20th October 2024
Introduction
Silhouette, the French black metal/black gaze, will release their first full album on the 24th of October, I was lucky enough to receive the promo and I’m now ready to share my thoughts on it.
I knew the band from their previous EP which I liked, I get that this style isn’t for everyone, but the combo of gaze and black metal will always pique my interest. It took them almost 2 years, but now we have a full album to enjoy, so let’s dive in.
Les Dires de L’âme
So 2 years in the making, but was the wait worth it? I could make this review very short, and just say yes and be done with it, but I’ll type some more, to give you an idea of what to expect from this, their debut album.
- L’appel
- Catalepsie
- Dialecte onirique
- Silhouette
- Adoubée des étoiles
- Les dires de l’âme
- Une lame éprise
- Litanie contre la peur
- Dysthymie
- L’éveil
The album contains 10 tracks, with a run time of 45 minutes. Which is just within the limits of my attention span. What helps is the different tempos they use, it feels like a river with some rapids here and there, but for the most part, it feels tranquil.
That feeling of tranquillity has a lot to do with the female vocals on this album (and the EP for that matter) which are sung by Odine, she also took care of the lyrics (my French is non-existent so she could sing about making soup for all I know, but it would still sound beautiful). The style of the album reminds me of an older band called The Sins of Thy Beloved (from Norway). For me, they give off the same vibes, but that is mostly down to the female vocals.
The album has a good blend of melancholic black metal with a great atmosphere, and a lot of that atmosphere is created by Odine. I love her vocals, they are very tranquil and mix wonderful with the harshness of the more metal vocal style.
But that doesn’t mean that the album is void of any black metal influences, if you listen to the seventh track Une lame éprise you hear that it starts off very fierce. The drums just keep going, and the screams are great as well. If I was allowed to recommend two tracks, this would probably be one because it has a nice cross-section of what’s on the rest of the album. That also goes for the 8th track Litanie contre la peur.
Conclusion
I liked their debut EP, and their first full album tickled my fancy as well. It’s not likely one of my AOTY candidates when we wrap it up in a few months from now but who cares-. It makes for a delightful listen and that’s what the most important part when releasing an album (at least that should be the most important part).
If you are into atmospheric black metal, with great etheral vocals, than this is your cup of tea. Just give it a spin. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
BMZ Rating: 8 – Very Good: An impressive album that rises above many others. It features innovative ideas, captivating lyrics, or excellent musicianship that makes it stand out.
You can buy the album here: https://silhouettebm.bandcamp.com/album/les-dires-de-l-me
What you think of: Les Dires de L’âme
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