There is an alternative scene in the movie La Haine where Vinz, Hubert and Saïd crash a memorial and start an orgy with some the dead concubines, right after the bit where Vincent Cassel (Vinz) performs the Dirty Harry improv in the bathroom mirror. “Poutine. Poutine.” he points menacingly at his reflection. At least that is how I recall the gallery scene. Apply that in context to Glaciations’ newest Ad Dictum Lorem Ipsum Sur les Falaises de Marbre and the scene is imminent from such pious vehemence.
The music behind the pointed monologues of singer Neige act like a chorus to attenuate the wave of reprieve hollered forth, and where the guitar work is lackluster and bland there are moments where the compositions become interesting. Introducing sounds either synthesized or sampled. Reminiscent of that time Norwegian black metal artists had a propensity for the saxophone and jazz-ebriation. À la Fleurety and Ulver; and all that psyche-jazz. Ironically that is where it all begins and the Black Metal component acts as filler content for those musings.
It is a shame because those moments between are what makes all the difference in this album being just another too fast and too ferocious release in the halls of eternity and an undying phantom ascending the forlorn abyss The play on this album supplants leverage in to creating a disharmonious entry into the genrified hole of Black Metal and the synth work, though not true cult, could if developed further have the spooky atmosphere most welcome in a scene overwrought with prissy brutality.
Concision be damned but vapid guitars build up a wall of thorns occasionally embellished with a dew wept rose reflecting some semblance of contrast in the higher synth work, where experimenting in colour and air make the interludes between tracks more musical than the songs themselves. It is well played but the chaff is cutting the steak and leaving the meat bleu.
7/10
