There aren’t many things when it comes to music that I can come to expect on a yearly basis. Normally, as you know, bands will have a gap of at least a few years between releases of any kind, but some just refuse to keep quiet to the point where each year I can expect some new material from them. Whether it’s Esoctrilihum, Itnuveth, or Iron Reagan, I always have something to look forward to every year, but above them all has to be Ende when it comes to the shit I look forward to with each new year. But, thus far, they’ve only released two songs across two splits this year, and they flew under my radar until just a few days ago somehow. So, like an addict who’s been in withdrawal, I leaped right on it.

While I could easily sit here and tell you that Ende was the sole reason I investigated this little piece in the first place, it’s the fresh name of Sacrenoir that brought me in as it’s two members hail from the largely unheralded glory of Canadian black metal that is Forteresse. Another Canadian-French black metal split is a treat like very few others, and we get a very tantalizing piece from both of these acts with Sacrenoir provided us their very first offering. It’s just two tracks that we get on this split with each act bringing their own to make this a quick little offering from each, but there’s power to be had behind both these tracks as we get a first taste of what Sacrenoir can bring us as well as a new hit from Ende that’s always welcome.

Up first, Sacrenoir brings forth a very cold offering that’s steeped in lo-fi excellence that really invokes the old school style the likes of which many have tried, but the past experience of these musicians really come into play for “La Gueule du Loup”. It easily ranges from melodic-tinged majesty to a sheer black metal onslaught that just shows a real passion for the style that can effortlessly be expanded upon given the talent Sacrenoir clearly has going for it to make it a name that simply must be watched as, surely, their debut will be something to hear immediately. What Ende brings to the table, though, is not far off of what we got with their last full-length, “Goétie Funeste”, with their vicious and icy brand of black metal bursting forth with little hesitation with the same energy that has made them a key act to know in the ever-vast realm of black metal. It’s a scathing piece that brings to the table everything Ende has become known for from their intoxicating riffs to the immaculate vocals that even range into the territory of cleans that we’ve seen before but this is, by far, the most impactful use of them to make “Liber Damnatus – Psalm I” one of the most dynamic works Ende has produced thus far. It all comes together in a sort of chaotic harmony with Sacrenoir’s offering to provide us with treats from the true underground of the style to allow us a taste of the new and the experienced as Ende continues to dominate while Sacrenoir takes their first step as a single unit.

Quick splits like these are always fun to hear as you can get new songs from multiple bands at once as they can knock out a magnificent one-two punch of releasing new material and cross-promoting fellow underground denizens so that fans of both bands can check out the other. It just works all too well, and it’s definitely what’s happened to me with this as Sacrenoir is a name that I am all but compelled to keep an eye on as Ende continues to bewilder me in their occult fury. Should you be looking for two scathing acts of black metal to scratch that insatiable itch for riff-filled, icy goodness then there’s no way you can go wrong with Ende and Sacrenoir’s deadly concoction.

LISTEN to “La Gueule du Loup / Liber Damnatus – Psalm I” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Ende on Facebook here.

Sacrenoir does not have any sort of social media page at this moment so do keep your eyes peeled to the Bandcamp link up above as I do believe Sepulchral Productions will be their label of choice in the future.