Archvile King has not left his throne.

Baurus‘ (vocals/all instruments) project is once again collaborating with Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions in 2026 for the release of his new album, Aux Heures Désespérées.

Riposte begins with a downpour and ethereal keyboards that give its introduction a dungeon-like feel, before moving on to an icy rhythm in which the musician adds his misty growls, reinforcing both the striking atmosphere and the old-school sound of this first composition. The piercing melodies are also highlighted in the torrent of blasts that carry us towards the final blaze, then towards Le Chant Des Braves, which starts more slowly, as if granting us a moment of respite before the wild ride that awaits us. The guitars are a little more sinister than on the previous track, still reminiscent of those chivalrous touches in the harmonics and accelerations that lead to L’Excusé and its first hazy notes before the hurricane strikes in turn, creating heady passages that surround us fiercely. Once again, the musician doesn’t hesitate to let his rhythm get carried away or to let it fall back to temper the darkness, then to create anxiety on Le Carneval Du Roi Des Vers, a track with an anguished noisy introduction where we meet a strange creature before the riffs take over again. The melodious, singing chorus offers us a breath of fresh air between two macabre waves infused with Nordic roots, which ultimately prove more pleasant as they join Sépulture and its mysterious keyboards, welcoming us and delaying the inevitable explosion of violence. Our minds are carried away by the vocals and guitars, undergoing different rhythms and being lulled by the softer moments, creating a new, somewhat chaotic dance as Aux Heures Désespérées once again plays on striking and melancholic sounds to captivate us. The musician also does not hesitate to return to his military influences to create an intriguing contrast between rhythm and leads, then he turns back to cold and imposing tones for À Ces Batailles Abandonnées, which first presents itself via an intoxicating interlude, then with a new wave that nevertheless incorporates passages that are rawer and more energetic than usual. The track calms down and offers us an intoxicating final with more ethereal influences that fit perfectly with …Et Aux Hommes Misérables, where we discover a transcendent touch of Dungeon Synth as the rain returns almost imperceptibly, leaving the keyboards to offer us one last rhyme, soft then dark, which signals the end of the album.

The work produced by Archvile King is always impressive, considering that it is just one man who builds such a rich universe, but Aux Heures Désespérées takes the project to a whole new level. This collection is simply fascinating and will win over Black Metal enthusiasts.

85/100

Version Française ?