Jours Pâles adopts a new form.
Two years after his last collection, Spellbound (vocals/keyboards, Aorlhac) surrounds himself with Alexis (guitar), Ben (drums), Alex (bass) and Stéphane (guitar) to give life to Dissolution, his third album, released once again by Les Acteurs de L’Ombre Productions.
From Taciturne, the first composition, we find the raw, violent power of Spellbound‘s poetry, which once again combines its basis between DSBM and melancholic melodies, but with the emphasis on the latter. A few sudden bursts of acceleration tint the composition with an unhealthy but catchy energy, but the sound becomes anchored in a tortured languor with La reine de mes peines (des wagons de détresses), a long tumultuous track in which the vocal eruptions regularly change shape to match the harmonious chaos that rages. Violence gradually spills over into the intense, virulent final section, leading to the majestic Noire impériale and its heady stream of darkness, shaken by vivid but homogeneous jolts that give the track a more vindictive personality. The rhythm calms down on the final, which gives way to Les lueurs d’autoroutes, where the vocalist is accompanied by an enchanting female voice that creates a contrast with the furious howls, bringing a touch of tranquility before coming up against brutality again on Réseaux venins, where the discourse denounces our use of « social » technology and its excesses. The pessimistic verve is just as sharp as the riffs are dissonant, but the band offers us a peaceful moment with Une mer aux couleurs désunions, an instrumental track that seems brighter, but quickly falls back into its dark tones before joining the rage of Limérence and its impressive blast. Keyboards navigate us between sultry waves and airy leads, letting the storm slowly take shape before finally fading away as Dissolution begins, blending calm and ominous elements as the atmosphere becomes increasingly murky. A few crystalline notes hatch in the background, calling once again for the female voice to join this manifesto of cruel misanthropy, then we feel the instrumental light up again on Terminal nocturne, the final composition where the vocal parts become ever more tormented, feeding the relationship with the Old School elements that appear from time to time.
With each new album, Jours Pâles changes its approach, while remaining consistent with its visceral, melancholy roots. Dissolution remains rooted in Black Metal, drawing on its dark riffs and chilling touches, but the band’s unique touch doesn’t hesitate to emerge to embellish its scathing poetry.
95/100