Darvulia – Mysticisme Macabre
Since reviewing and thoroughly enjoying their previous album I have been waiting impatiently to discover what Darvulia’s third full length would deliver. After they posted two tracks from it on Myspace I knew the French duo would again give us high quality and original Black Metal from the deepest festering depths of the underground.
This band is certainly an acquired taste, even for connoisseurs of obscure musical reaches, you’ll either like their stuff or hate it. I place myself firmly in the former group. After a couple of listens I thought it sounded exactly the same as earlier material as it offers up more of the ugly and simplistic harshness the listener has come to expect. However while it is somewhat formulaic and repetitive there are notable new elements lurking within.
Most of the songs follow the pattern of fast riffs broken by slower ones then repeat. I’m sure for nearly all other bands this would render them untalented and unpopular (or mainstream) but Kobal seems to have found a solution tailored for his compositions. Moments of melody link together the various passages of inspired disharmonic chaos in some songs, and again in contrast to their other works, layered and more savage vocals further add to the greater depth of sound on Mysticisme Macabre.
I don’t know why this works. Possibly their rare style has a hand in this or the order of the songs, or both. While ‘L’Alliance Des Venins’ began strongly and (in my opinion) seemed to tail off towards the end this one reverses that somehow making it feel like a more complete release. As an example ‘Terre De Nécropole’ is a shredding whirlwind of turmoil and could probably finish off an old or critically ill person. Play it at someone you hate whilst they languish helplessly in a coma!
Before that though I realised track 4 entitled ‘Malesuadus’ would go well with a music video. I had a mental image in a flash, as the grotty middle section churned away in my ears, of Darvulia in a specially customised Citroen 2CV, sprayed black with white interior, all metal and non fabric parts replaced with bones and a skull gear knob. The exterior would be adorned with plenty of sharp and nasty looking barbed spikes also crafted from bone. With an open top too, like a Darvulia staff car.
Anyway as the song begins they’d be in the back with a full sized boar which they would begin to slaughter, the chauffeur; maybe a gigantic fat slut in tight leather with breasts exposed, fires the iconic French banger into action across a field or into some trees and then onto some picturesque French country roads. All the while Kobal and Akhron slice and dice in the back seat and covered in warm boar blood they start flinging bits of pig out of the car.
As the song nears the end the 2CV pulls into a quaint French village in the late afternoon sunshine. In the town square they hop out of the car and ready some fresh meat and engage in a game of Pork-Boules much to the disgust and distress of the old people gathered there. Regardless this is a brilliant five minutes of dark art.
Every song here is well written and constructed. Don’t expect anything out of the ordinary just a mighty consolidation of who this band are, what they stand for and their own inimitable style.
If you haven’t heard them yet or didn’t like them before, I urge you to buy, beg or borrow this and try again because it represents the embodiment of everything Black Metal should be; harsh, individual and disturbing. Of course if you’re a fan already you WILL enjoy this continuation of Darvulia’s campaign in the underground.
Black Metal is dead. In the UK at least. Seeing as though it is the place that gave birth to the genre it is as fuckin’ useless a broke-dick dog. There is no scene to speak of, just the odd one or two equally useless bands trying in vain to mimic some of the more [...]
Opening with a song title of the length Bal Sagoth would be proud of (thankfully that’s as the only comparison to draw), the imaginatively titled ‘A Glimpse of the Image of Lucifer Gleaming Beyond the Subterraneous Black Sun’ marches forth. Mid paced, it stamps away with the precision of a well oiled Black Metal machine [...]
not long ago i was watching a movie called “The countess” – about the life of countess Bathory.. this way I’ve found out Darvulia was her lesbian witch/lover ..
I think the album sounds better than the debut, this time they’ve also added a “black metal” cover to it.. french BM scene is the best nowadays and Darvulia deserves to be there..
Agree with that Misanthrone. The French BM scene is awesome. Bought this cd a while ago and I never get tired of listening to it.