Located on the banks of the Garonne River, the French town of Bordeaux hides other valuable treasures besides the wonderful wine of the same name. Quality black metal acts are one of the surprises arriving precisely from these seemingly peaceful territories, with one name that has distinguished itself over the years with its flair for ominous riffs and compelling blasphemous themes – SETH. Dark harbingers, recognizable for their traditional French atmosphere and Norwegian cold references, the musicians deliver over twenty years of explosive material, keeping their pyres burning with real devotion.
The band’s upcoming July release ‘La France des Maudits’
has a slightly different theme than usual. It is about the French
Revolution and the victims of religious oppression. According to
the musicians and the lyrics of the album, the work is an
anthem for those who rise from the ruins – for the steadfast,
eternal rebels. A tale of relentless fury, summoning the spirit of
rebellion, liberation and defiance against all forms of
oppression.
The lyrics are traditionally entirely in French, which gives even
more authenticity and brings the well-known French malice and
powerful expressiveness, difficult to recreate by other
nationalities, and I dare say – the lyrics themselves are a
landmark in the album and deserve due attention, when you play your
disc.
Before us stand nine anthems of resistance that echo the cries of a
new age that refuses to kneel before the divine decay and it
is not by chance that the musicians have chosen the date of July
14th for the release of the album, you know – on this date
“Bastille Day” is celebrated in France – one of the revolutionary
days in Paris and now a national French holiday, also called
“Federation Day”.
Echoes of dancing lost souls envelop the ear at the start of “Paris des Maléfices” – the album’s first track, soon replaced by a fast traditional black metal instrumental and Saint Vincent’s well-known and cherished expressive vocals, with medieval segments and melodic elements flashing through the instrumental, reminiscent of times gone by. The band manages to skillfully transport us to the era of 18th century at the epicenter of the French Revolution, using for its purposes a number of changes in dynamics and drawing through the music a truly captivating atmosphere that will grab you in a strong grip from the very beginning.
The following tracks continue with the same pace, oscillating between deranged seething furious energy and ethereal soundscapes, with SETH bringing interesting elements to each of the tracks that draw attention to themselves. From the battle-hymn-like acoustic melodies and drums in addition to the lower shamanic chanting in the intro of ‘Dans le Cœur un Poignard’, to the all-instrumental acoustic ethereal track ‘Marianne’, to the female ghostly choirs at “Le Vin du Condamné” and the cinematic segments like the expressive screams combined with the synths in ‘ Ivre du Sang des Saints’.
“La France des Maudits” is a black metal album for the cursed and rebelling souls. It transports the listener to a dangerous territory where the melodies are both raw and piercing and laced with folkloric sound and soundscapes from a bygone era. When playing the album, you don’t just start listening to music – an intriguing story unfolds in front of you with different dynamics and techniques used. For 20 years, SETH have managed to demonstrate a monstrous flair in their compositions and “La France des Maudits” is another dose of their musical prowess and ability to fully immerse their listeners into their tempestuous and melodic atmosphere.
“Lucifer! Détruis les!
Car est venue notre Heure!
Plus jamais à genoux,
Que hurle notre fronde!
Le Diable est avec nous
Tous, Marchons sur le monde!”
You can hear some of the tracks in the album
below:
Album: “La France des Maudits”
Band: SETH
Release Date: July 14th, 2024
Label: Season of Mist
Pre-orders: https://orcd.co/sethlafrancesdesmaudits
Mother of THE VOID.
Underground music is the ultimate weapon against mediocrity.
