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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Sale Freux
Album.......: ...elles s'envolèrent...
Year........: 2026
Genre.......: Black Metal
Type........: Album
Label.......: Ruralia
Language....: French
Source......: CD
Encoder.....: libFLAC 1.3.1 20141125
Quality.....: 864kbps / 44.1 kHz / Stereo
Tracks......: 9 tracks
Playtime....: 01:16:50
Size........: 490.6 MiB
R.Date......: 2026-09-30
S.Date......: 2026-01-15
Url.........: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/sale%20freux
01. ...ils rampèrent... 3:19
02. Gloire au corbeau 10:55
03. Dresseuse de crapauds 6:57
04. Dévore la lumière de la lune 9:10
05. Dunkelmond... 4:58
06. ...zu Hellesmond 2:54
07. Quöllgraüsig 13:31
08. Häxehütte 9:08
09. ...Elles s'envolèrent... 15:58
SALE FREUX has entered its second golden period since
2022 and the album *Le corbeau clandestin*. The first
period, the one that brought the Frenchman to
prominence, spans from 2012 to 2017, between *L'exil*
and *Vindilis*. Dunkel wasn't bad afterward, but his
activity became harder to follow, with a proliferation
of splits and compilations that muddied the waters for
listeners. He gave the impression of wandering, almost
going in circles. A real irony for him, who always
managed to draw us into his life stories, into his walks
among real people, into the heart of the real world and
its landscapes. Then everything fell into place, almost
suddenly, in 2022, with the excellent *Le corbeau
clandestin*. This, in my opinion, marks the beginning of
their second successful period, which continued two
years later with *Vol de travers*, and then, in early
2026, with *...Elles s'envolèrent...*, the album we're
discussing here.
However, if I place this album in the same category as
the previous two, it's solely for its quality and
atmosphere, as it possesses several distinctive
features, starting with its lineup. Yes, there is a
lineup: Dunkel is absolutely not alone, contrary to what
the original black and white cover might suggest. First,
there's a drummer, Fafnir. A guitar solo is provided by
Raven, and some vocals and vocal effects are by Viskr.
Two ravens, Iris and Strygga, also appear in the booklet
for their cawing, complete with photos. Finally, the
indispensable Ludovic Tournier is at the helm, having
mastered the album. I don't know about you, but
mentally, I prefer to imagine Dunkel alone. It's
probably a complete lack of empathy on my part, but I
want to see him lost, solitary, lonely, resigned,
misunderstood. Kudos to him for having multiple
companions, but this inevitably impacts the listener's
imagination.
That said, their contributions don't upset the balance.
SALE FREUX is and will remain Dunkel, and he delivers
his signature sound once again. The black metal is
extremely organic, raw, austere, driven by vocals that
unsettle those who prefer the safety of a more classic
growl. Dunkel unleashes piercing screams and others more
plaintive, he croaks and he croaks, he seems possessed,
extreme. The riffs swirl, the melodies flow, and the
swamps invade the space. The swamp, in fact, occupies a
central place on this new album. Instead of recounting
his very real misadventures once again, Dunkel innovates
by imagining a world-not so fictional after all-where
Earth has been devastated and only a ravaged forest
remains. A raven discovers this universe and guides us
on a unique initiatory journey, encountering willows,
marshes, and other forms of life, including a toad,
defender of these lands. Metaphors abound, and the
journey proves to be deeper than it initially appears.
The album is thus more complex than usual, with some
particularly long compositions. Of the nine tracks,
three exceed ten minutes, something that has rarely
happened in recent years. On Vol de travers, only one
track crossed this threshold, and on Le corbeau
clandestin, the longest didn't exceed seven minutes. The
result: ...Elles s'envolèrent... runs for 1 hour and 15
minutes. That's a bit long because this length ends up
diluting the best moments.