Tribute and darkness for Viande.
Three years after their debut album, the band led by J (vocals, ex-Swarms of Darkness), B (guitar, Nahar), O (bass, Abyssal Vacuum, Trogne, ex-Borgne, ex-Vortex of End), and I (drums, Illusive Key, Serpens Luminis, Trogne, ex-Ungfell) renews its partnership with Transcending Obscurity Records to unveil Monument aux Morts, its follow-up.
The band opens the doors to the unknown with Linceul immense, the first track initially calm yet unsettling from which haunting sounds already begin to emerge before the arrival of the first extremely heavy riffs, followed by cavernous vocals that at times energize the abrasive rhythm section. We also note a few softer yet unsettling harmonics, alternating with the skeletal blast beat to lead us to Sacrifice ardent, a track that’s far more virulent at first listen but ultimately just as sinister, unhesitatingly incorporating rhythm changes and strange vocal parts to complete the assault. Hypnotic tones pour out at a steady pace, then fade away for the break before giving way to an explosive final, followed by Germes de mort, which in turn tramples over us and spreads its auditory filth by any means necessary at varying tempos, but whether frenzied or more ponderous, it remains ever-present right up to the agonizing final. We move on to the equally harrowing Monolithe de chagrin, a much shorter track but clearly no less accessible, which tramples us with disdain and shows us all its fiery intensity from the very first moments, slowing down only briefly to better showcase a haunting approach with Cercueil de vase, punctuated by regular eruptions. The lead sections are no exception, distilling tones that are as hypnotic as they are dissonant, but the horrific finale will soon terrify us in turn, leading us to the warlike Une cage d’os and its rather unique introduction, which will eventually engulf us entirely at a brisk pace. Unsurprisingly, the slower passages are apocalyptic, while the faster ones are as virulent as can be just like on L’esprit cachot, which growls in our faces and whose stench of advanced putrefaction we can easily sense with every note, every beat, and every moan. The end gradually fades into the darkness, and in the end it is Austérité maximum that accompanies us to the exit, not without letting its unsettling sounds haunt us one last time, complemented by voices that seem to come straight from a radio… but the band has included a bonus track, L’homme Brasier, which adds another layer of oppression and pain to the ever-shifting yet consistently intriguing atmosphere, offering us one last chance to sink into the musicians’ world.
Viande’s debut album stood out for its uniqueness, but this one will stand out for its oppressive atmosphere and macabre viscerality. I would recommend Monument aux Morts only to seasoned listeners, those who already know what blending Black, Death, and Sludge Metal entails.
75/100