Return of the Korsakov duo.
For their second album, entitled Anosognosia, musicians A. and E. renew their trust in Source Atone Records.
From VII, the first track on this second opus, the haunting sound and tortured howls in the background plunge us once again into this soothing musical torpor, which progresses slowly and envelops us little by little. The progression between the soaring harmonics is quite natural, but the sound eventually cuts off to make way for VIII, where we feel an increased virulence in the darkness, but also an even more intense contrast than on the previous track, thanks in particular to this vaporous break. We find this gentleness again in the opening moments of IX, completed by an artificial beat that ceases to let us contemplate the sonic conflagration and the arrival of fury at a much more sustained pace, coupled with majestic keyboards, before finally running out of steam on its own, joining X, which acts as an interlude. Indeed, the track lasts just over two minutes, and remains very gentle before giving way once again to saturation on XI, which borrows from rawer roots for its virulent passages, but also knows how to return to a slower rhythm to allow us to breathe a little, both in the rhythm and with a reassuringly clear break. The sound explodes again to finally reach XII, which remains in this imposing, hypnotic approach, albeit with an unprecedented vocal intensity, but also with much heavier, more terrifying passages in the instrumental that allow us to let go before the soothing moment. Without transition, we move on to the final track XIII, which takes on a more melancholy feel, returning to the intoxicating apathy that develops at its own pace, letting the duo weave their dark riffs until the last moment, when the few remaining notes let us rejoin our world once more.
Korsakov had already hit the nail on the head with their first album, but Anosognosia is different. Darker, more sinuous and much less accessible, but above all deeper and more personal.
95/100
A few questions to the Korsakov duo on the occasion of the release of their second album, Anosognosia.
Hello, and thank you for your time! Korsakov is back with a second album, entitled Anosognosia. How have you experienced the time that has passed since the release of the first opus?
Korsakov: Thank you for your interest in the band! Since the release of our first album, we’ve basically taken a step back to work on Anosognosia. The idea was to devote ourselves to the production and arrangement work so that it would fit in perfectly with what we had in mind. At the same time, we started putting together a team so that we could defend our music live. It was a long and tedious process, but we are now accompanied by Paul on bass (who plays in Traquenard) and Guillaume on drums (who plays in Parlor).
Anosognosia comes out at the end of the week. How do you feel about it? Have you had any feedback on it yet?
Korsakov: On the whole, we feel relieved, because we’ve been working on it for months, on the concept, the music, the visuals, the video… It’s been quite a journey, full of doubts and questions. Does this part sound right? Should we choose this type of mix or this type of arrangement? In short, a lot of questioning. In any case, the idea was to come up with an album that reflected as faithfully as possible what we are now. The initial feedback we’ve had confirms that it was worth asking all these questions ?
How would you sum up Anosognosia in three words?
Korsakov: I’d say Bright, airy and accomplished.
What was the creative process like on Anosognosia? Did you keep the same approach, or did you notice any differences with the creation of the first album?
Korsakov: As I said before, we took a bit longer to create this album. Already in terms of composition, the idea was to open up the musical spectrum a little more. We don’t just listen to metal or saturated music. I listen to a lot of electronic, ambient and neo-classical music, all of which have a non-negligible influence on Korsakov‘s music. Nevertheless, we continue to follow BM releases because it remains the foundation of music. As for the rest, we did everything ourselves, right down to mastering. It was something of a challenge to be able to release music entirely by ourselves, and we’re pretty happy with the end result.
The tracks are always soberly named, what motivates you to use numbers instead of names for your creations?
Korsakov: The numbers serve as guides for the listener. They’re like steps that link the tracks together. As you know, there are no words in the songs, so this helps to “mark out” the albums a little. This way, everyone can make the tracks their own and associate a personal memory with them.
Regarding the sound, the band remains rooted in melancholic airy Post-Black. How do you manage to create your own musical touch?
Korsakov: It’s a mix between our influences and what we want to say. It’s quite complicated to explain, as it’s often a question of feeling. What I can tell you, though, is that melancholy plays a key role in the composition of the tracks. We always try to avoid being maudlin or pathos-ridden. It’s a fine line we walk, and we’re very (if not too!) demanding on this point.
I know it’s a tough question, but do you have a favorite track on this album? Or the one that came most naturally to you?
Korsakov: I don’t really have a favorite track, but to answer your second question, IX was the most natural track to compose. I’d already had the organ melody in my head for a while, and one evening when I had a bit of time on my hands, I sat down with my guitar and it all came together. That’s when I realized that the composition process really depended on random variables, because other tracks took weeks to come out for no particular reason. What I’ve learned from all this is that creativity is anything but an exact science…
Like your previous album, Anosognosia is released on the label Source Atone. How is the collaboration with them going?
Korsakov: It’s a great collaboration! Krys and Arnaud are passionate about what they do, and it’s become quite rare in this day and age to have people who invest so much time and money in this kind of project, which is a label.
The band has announced two dates to date, your first at La Malterie in Lille on April 9, and the Atone Mass a few days later. How do you feel about these concerts?
Korsakov: These 2 dates have been quite incredible from our point of view. Firstly, because we were so well received, and secondly, because they were the result of weeks of hard work in the run-up to them, which left us quite exhausted both physically and mentally. We had quite a few concerns (well-founded or not) about the band’s live credibility, especially as it was E.’s first steps as a singer. It all came together thanks to Paul and Guillaume, not forgetting Valentin, our sound engineer. I can’t thank them enough for their involvement in Korsakov.
What’s next for Korsakov?
Korsakov: We already have the honor of playing at the 2025 edition of Rock In Bourlon! It’s a festival that’s particularly close to our hearts, and seeing our name on the poster makes us quite proud ? Otherwise, the idea of promoting the album and the band via other dates (probably around the autumn of 2025) is in the works. Nothing concrete but in any case we’re open to proposals!
Are there any musicians or artists you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Korsakov: We’ve already been lucky enough to have Olga (who played in the band La Petite Fosse) on the track XII, as well as Laurie Joly for the lithographs on the first album and Jeanne Smith for the artwork on the second. As for the rest, time will tell! All our previous collaborations have been based on artistic, but above all human, impulses.
Do you think you’ve improved as musicians and composers with this album?
Korsakov: Yes, we’ve definitely turned a corner. Firstly, because with time, we’ve been able to test and try out a lot of things in terms of production, and secondly, by dint of nothing, if you keep practicing, logically you progress. The fact that we spent a lot of time in rehearsals to prepare our live shows also helped us a lot.
What’s your take on the current Black Metal scene, both French and international? Which bands do you think are the ones to keep an eye on?
Korsakov: For us, Black Metal remains a favourite style. And there are so many sub-genres that you can easily find what you’re looking for. For our part, we always prefer projects with a strong, atypical personality. I could mention Limbes, Mourir, Nature Morte, Ultha, Ohlava, Rye (Russian band with a cyrillic name, ed.),… the list never stops growing ?
What bands do you dream of playing with? I’ll let you imagine your dream show with Korsakov opening, and three other bands for the release of Anosognosia.
Korsakov : Difficult question! I’d say Paramnesia (which unfortunately no longer exists), Wiegedood and Fòrn. I’ll leave the big names to the others ?
Last question: what dish would you compare Korsakov‘s music to?
Korsakov: No idea, I’ve never really asked myself that question.
That was my last question, thank you for your availability, and I’ll leave you with the final words!
Korsakov: Thank you for your questions and your interest in the project!