Archvile King is back with its first full-length.
Created in 2019 in Nantes by Nicolas “Baurus” M. (all instruments/vocals), the one-man band already released an EP in 2020. A la ruine comes out with Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions in 2022.
Helped by Andreea Dinag on narrating and P.M. Loveland for the artwork, the musician makes us sink into Black/Thrash roots. With Chroniques du royaume avili, we discover a soft voice followed by soaring melodies, then raw sound. Both styles’s rage is perfectly expressed into this dirty and energetic sound, rhythmed by some percussions before a wall of blast which drives us to Mangez vos morts, a straightforward composition with morbid sound. French vocals perfectly fit to the riffs’ Old School and dirty spirit, unveiling heady melodies, then Celui qui vouvoie le soleil offers a cloud of softness before unveiling the flood of saturation. Epic and atmospheric tones create a contrast with the more raw roots of the long track, then the final part allows us to breathe before Atroce comes to assault with its permanent dissonance. The expected explosion grabs us to the throat before welcoming wild howlings, giving this unhealthy side to vivid and piercing riffs, and creating a contrast with the raw softness of melodies while Dans la forteresse du Roi des Vers reconnects with majestic and warlike tones. The track perfectly pays tribute to all the abrasive influences while placing sharp leads, while the soft final melody leaves us to A la ruine, a very quiet and appeasing composition. Guitars melt to medieval tones before Vêpre I darkens the sound, creating a perfect basis for aggressive elements, but also for the haunting melody which strikes all along the song. The album ends with L’artisan, a quite heady but still as impressive composition which allows the musician offer a rhythmic which will accelerate until the flame fades away.
This album is my first contact with Archvile King, and it’s a positive one. A la ruine is perfectly anchored into French Black Metal influences, offering rage, melancholy and this inimitable rage at the same time, whether it is into Black/Thrash riffs or into vocals.
80/100