Peste Noire's new release "Lorraine Rehearsal"

the song structure is kinda fucked up all the album long
there are some ambient/acoustic parts right in the middle of the songs - that's sometimes quite inappropriate and disturbing (in the bad sense of the term), I think

Innominandum wrote:

by the way, anyone here heard the 2nd PN album ? my opinion: some good parts and great lyrics, but poorly inspired as a whole --- listening to the CD was almost boring (!)

I think I have listened to the CD 10 times before getting into it.
Keep the black flame burning !

After several listens, I find it good too. OK, the song structures are not the best point of these songs, but the overall fucked up atmosphere, the great sick parts, make it something special. The only real drawback IMO are some common parts here and there (including the thrashing ones). Maybe I like it only because it's sick and disturbing almost all the time. But that's at least enough to make it worth buying.

I was a bit disappointed by the first album, is it better?

Well, I've given this a few listens.
It's better than the rehearsal. The songs haven't greatly changed, but its more the fact that they "flow" better with the other songs, as there on correct order, if you get what i mean.

However, I thought that compared to the first album it was still a lot weaker. This album wasn't great. The sounds compared to the first album is quite different, and it is a lot faster paced than the first album.
But still, I dunno, I wonder if i expect too much of them. I would have preferred about 7 longer tracks, than 12 fairly short tracks. But meh, it is ok for now, not great, but not terrible.

Now that I've got time, I can do a little "review".

First, what the fuck happened with the vocals? Famine seemed to be yelling at 20 feets of the mike. Also, when I first heard the new version of "La Fin del Secle", I thought : Hey, where is the little "solo"? There are no more solos.

The sound of the guitars is very lower than before with less power. Bass is more present, also double bass drum and there is less accoustic guitar too . I loved it in " La Sanie..." the beginning of "Phalènes..." and in "Deuil Angoisseux". But there are some part of clean guitar added.

If you can live with the change, it's still over average Black Metal - but not as good as the previous releases. I would give a good 85%.

My favorites are:

-"Chute Pour Une Culbute"
- "Condamné À La Pondaison" (You have to listen to it at 4:16!)
- "Amour Ne N'amoit Ne Je Li"

Quote :

The only real drawback IMO are some common parts here and there

in fact I was disappointed mainly about these common parts - this band used to perform songs with outstanding riffs and great structure --- now it seems that these new songs were composed in a rush ... that's not a bad point in itself, but everything here seems so muddled to me

+ average production and common vocals (compared to the vox on the demos) - the same goes for the 1st album

but well, it's still over average BM of course
perhaps

Quote :

I expect too much from them

I don't understand why everyone was disappointed by this 2nd album.
Ok, there are no more solos, and the vocals are colder and less intense with rage, but for me it's not necessarily a flaw. I still don't appreciate the metallish structure of PN songs, but I can objectively say this is a good album, not worse than the 1st one. The sound and production are personal, the musicianship is flawless and the band's concept (to find beauty in sickness) is great. Some of the lyrics could nearly equal French poetry. And the finale "Paysage Mauvais" is a complete success.

What's the matter with all these trendy PN fans? Are they already weary of their idols? I guess they'll soon find another starband to worship.


PS: and what the fuck is this split with Horna? A different version of "Paysage Mauvais"? This reeks of commercialism...

The last album actually sounded quite good to me : twisted riffs and excellent (except one track...) lyrics.

I'd say this album is better than the first one, though I have to agree on the demos being better than anything they've been releasing so far...

The B-side of Lorraine Rehearsal is one of the best songs they've done so far. Didn't like Folkfuck Folie to be honest..