The Pitch: French "blackened post-hardcore" band Erlen Meyer pay tribute to the dark stories of Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock with their second album via Argonauta Records. FFO: Grieved, Calligram, LLNN
What I Like: On the hardcore spectrum, Erlen Meyer fall somewhere near the bleak, sludgy Denmark sound of LLNN. Sang et Or (French for "Blood and Gold") is a delightfully grim slice of depressive angst. Instead of going for the throat with pure violence, the band prefers to encourage self-destructive tendencies through psychological warfare. The slow, amotivational pacing and melancholic atmosphere are perfectly orchestrated to break even the brightest of spirits. This tone is accomplished through menacing bass lines, soul-reaving blackened guitars, and vicious snarls. And while there aren't too many surprises to be found along the way, I enjoyd the use of theremin towards the end of "Rouge Cardinal" as well as the dramatic brass on outro "Trompe l'Oeil." "Enfer Forgé" also has some pretty interesting guitar riffs that stand out from the rest of the album.
Critiques: Largely business as usual on this album. I'd be very interested to hear more experimentation with other instruments.
The Verdict: An ominous exploration of the darkest corners of the psyche. Sang et Or is more than sufficiently intense and combines many of my favorite elements from sludge, hardcore, post-hardcore, and black metal into one delicious dish. Add Erlen Meyer to your collection today.
Flight's Fav's: Enfer Forgé, Rouge Cardinal, Grand Duc
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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