Neige et Noirceur

There's no light illuminating the path of raw black metal; Candiac, QC soloist Spiritus' new record as Neige et Noirceur generally sticks to fast and dark, occasionally busting out an interesting melodic half-tempo, folk or synth lick ("Hymne III"). But, for the most part, the album isn't one to break character, and with a couple of tracks surpassing the ten-minute mark, a great deal of the melodic structure eventually transforms into déjà vu. Being a raw-based record, this one is only for those who are militant about the genre: the production is lo-fi and done on the cheap, as it's Spiritus basically knocking out guitars and vocals in front of software drums that sound like they're coming from a kitchen. Not a deal breaker if you're used to, or even prefer, blackened home bake, and if you are, then Hymnes de la Montagne Noire will already be on your radar; it's worth a listen.