Artist......: Departure Chandelier
Album.......: Satan Soldier of Fortune
Year........: 2024
Genre.......: Black Metal
Label.......: Nuclear War Now! Prod.
Source......: WEB (24bit)
Encoder.....: libFLAC
Bitrate.....: 1710kbps avg.
F.Rate......: 44.1kHz
Playtime....: 00:37:40 / 502.42MB
R.Date......: 2024-02-04
S.Date......: 2024-01-12
Website.....: http://play.qobuz.com/album/ix57dl8oze3bb
01. Intro (Napoleonic Battlefield Cleanup) 2:30
02. By Way of Torchlight from Parliament to Catacombs 6:13
03. Hard as a Coffin Nail 6:09
04. Accipitridae 6:13
05. Interlude (Graverobbers Profit off the Fallen of Both Sides) 1:12
06. Hail Dark Forces 5:46
07. Satan Soldier of Fortune 7:33
08. Outro (Dragged Via Musket Straps and Set Upon Bivouac Fires) 2:04
With an unwitting Pope at his side the coiffed and gilded self-coronation
of Napoleonæs newly forced-into-action hereditary dynasty would prove
popular enough with the populace that his functional reign as quasi-emperor
of France was readily accepted by a self-deleting counsel and despite this
being far from the desired outcome per the long-brewing revolution prior.
In juxtaposition to the glorious pageantry and opulent siege of power at
the outset we are treated to the suggestion and depiction of profiteering
from war on both sides of each conflict resultant, not only the events
leading up to coronation but the ten years of brutal conflict which
followed as FranceÆs domination of Europe overextended itself unto fields
of burning bodies, sacks full of bloody coins, and boastful claimsà all
imagery which highlights this equally debauched and stoic second
full-length album from MontrΘal, QuΘbec-based black metal trio Departure
Chandelier. æSatan Soldier of Fortuneæ presents as much of a dichotomy in
its core mechanisms, wherein melodious highs and humming chorales frost the
tips of an otherwise ruddy and clubbed-out raw black metal experience which
barks out a darker, heavier groove on this much anticipated follow-up to
their 2019 debut.
Departure Chandelier were active as early as ~2010 and though theyÆve long
referenced auld French black metal as a main component of their sound
theyÆve not wheeled all the way back in time to the beginnings of Gorgon or
the swerving muss of early Vlad Tepes (well, listen to æWar Funeral Marchæ
in any case) but rather late 90Æs melodic ideals given a burnt to a crisp
guitar tone in raw deconstruction allowing for simple pacing and prominent
use of keyboards for melodic device. If we can use something like, the
first Hirilorn tape as a high standard ca. 1997 thisÆd be more primitive (a
la early BΦlkΦtre, Osculum Infame etc.) in terms of performance but
occasionally sophisticated in its reach for punkish melodicism. The balance
of raw, irradiated tones and gallant melodies found on their first three
demo tapes was perfectly achieved as a series of four recordings, each
supposedly revived from sessions during 2010, were released starting with a
debut full-length (æAntichrist Rise To Poweræ, 2019) which IÆd found myself
enamored with in my review, eventually setting the album at #67 on my Best
of 2019. That same year also saw the reissue of their 2011 Tour de Garde
released demo tape (æThe Black Crest Of Death, The Gold Wreath Of Waræ,
2011) whichÆd perfectly echoed the sound and songwriting quality of their
full-length, having come from the same year and exploring the same
methodology. To sum the odd situation of this band and how theyÆve done
quite well in curating an ônever before releasedö set of four reissues
taken from demo recordings circa 2010 is perfectly set next to the
accidental, perhaps unwanted success of the 90Æs French black metal thatÆd
inspired them.
While the first two records chosen to release were well-plucked for their
melodic qualities, their intense guitar tone and austere connections made
between late 2000Æs QuΘbecois black metal musing over late 90Æs French
dressage, the next two releases from Departure Chandelieræs stable were
less inspired per my own taste. Starting with a brief yet distracted demo
(æDripping Papal Bloodæ, 2020) and another tape from a related/precursor
group, Venusberg Cardinal, which was also recorded during the æAntichrist
Rise to Poweræ sessions in 2010 (titled æAtlas of Dungeonsæ) was released
last year, suggesting that an intense amount of material had basically been
chucked to the wind by the artist at one point. After taking in the full
discography IÆd say the conclusions drawn are beyond curious as IÆd found
the more primitive the statement and grit-slaked the production values (or,
lack thereof) were the more I appreciated the tuneful statement of each
song. IÆm not sure if ôThe worse it sounds, the better the songö is the
actual conclusion here but rather that raw simplicity and some personal
choices of tone and distortion had allowed Departure Chandelier an arcane
personae which does well to represent both their relation to QuΘbecois and
French black metal narratives and the Napoleonic themes depicted. You might
have to agree with me here to enjoy what æSatan Soldier of Fortuneæ has to
offer as theyÆve suggested that it was recorded on the same four-track
device and using the same guitar distortion and synth as the previous
full-length.
It took five years to recreate the magickry theyÆd captured on two albums
and two demos which were all recorded during the same sessions (or, same
year) fourteen years ago? In fact we cannot assume theyÆve done so beyond
the nuclear radiation burnt guitar distortion and the chorale-stoked keys
which reprise their auld crumbling sense of space as ôBy Way of Torchlight
From Parliament to Catacombsö gallops into view, resuscitating an abandoned
history re-mused within a distended mortuary. Ugly sonic refractions and
bleeding noise abounding on earlier tapes are recreated with some
believable faith but a few things are clearly different, such as the drum
render being distant but less distorted and the presences of the keyboards
mixed in a pleasantly high-ceilingÆd reach while the vocalist is perfectly
intelligible in his growling cadence. While IÆd have wanted something
slightly more dumpster-borne initially this wasnÆt such an issue up front
wherein we get some of the spirit of the earlier releases right away; Where
IÆd begin to draw a darker line between the past and present came with
ôHard as a Coffin Nailö, much more of an æold schoolÆ (or, circa Æ92) black
metal groove with its crumbling downstroked main rhythms and readable
chorus (see also: ôSatan Soldier of Fortuneö.) The third riff introduced in
the second half is accompanied by a keyboard which finishes its phrase and
helps push past the guttural, primitive feeling of this song which didnÆt
initially line up well with my perception of Departure Chandelier up to
this point.
Upon approach of æSatan Soldier of Fortuneæ the scenery depicted was clear
enough, the looting of the dead amidst a massive battlefield full of
stinking corpses, yet I couldnÆt figure how thisÆd historically related to
the self-coronation of the new hereditary dynasty proposed by Napoleon, the
suggested main subject of these themes. If we are seeing the fallout beyond
the Napoleonic wars thatÆd encompass the next ten years beyond coronation,
this seems to be the case and would make more sense. Otherwise the bandÆs
personification of the fellow again presents him as a bird of prey per the
avatar ôAccipitridaeö, easily one of the best and most representative
pieces on the full listen and the clearest reprisal of whatÆd made
æAntichrist Rise to Poweræ such a compelling release several years ago with
a driving melody at its root. Of the five total non-interlude pieces of the
eight total this is where IÆd felt Departure Chandelier had best reprised
and expanded upon their work, ôHail Dark Forcesö does well to uphold that
feeling for its first half but soon devolves to slurring grooves as the
second half kicks in. The simpler, raw black metal grinding which threatens
to become the majority modus on this second LP isnÆt ineffective but rather
it creates a less considered candor overall.
Though IÆd been impressed by the melodic side of Departure Chandelier in
the past IÆd not found that same connection with this second full-length,
finding it blunted and ragged as they reach for deeper authenticity and
rawness which IÆd found lacking in distinction from the crowd in a few
small but not unimportant ways. æSatan Soldier of Fortuneæ still bears all
of the key hallmarks of the band but trades some of the raw charm of
earlier releases for something more often engaged in blunt, growling and
raw motion which is entertaining on a different level but not a massive
delve into the strengths of their past work. It is nonetheless a tuneful
and uniquely stated black metal album which feels essential in the moment
for its strong personae and authentic sound design.