The departure of any band is something to be mourned in some capacity no matter how big or small that band may be. It means the loss of a voice in an ocean of others, and while none may shed a tear, we will lose a potentially very talented voice that brings us intrigue the likes of which we may find seldom elsewhere. Oes Galliath has been but whispers to me before tonight, but it’s now after listening to the band’s final opus that I realize what I’ve been missing out on and I am genuinely saddened to lose out on such an interesting act.

France has always had an interesting black metal landscape as far as I’m concerned, and it’s depths are something that I will always find fascinating to explore given how it’s birthed some extremely talented acts as well as one of my absolute favorites of black metal, Ende. While the name of Oes Galliath was relatively unfamiliar to me before now, the talent behind it was not given how one of its four members features in both Epectase and Acedia Mundi with others showing up in Yakblood as well as Malroth, so there is clear excellence behind this name without even hearing a note. Yet, the final opus that is “Sous l’œil Fermé des Paradis” contains eight tracks that are not to be forgotten so easily. You could sit here and dare to claim that Oes Galliath follows the simple black metal formula, but I would spit right back the fact of that being pure heresy! Everything about “Sous l’œil Fermé des Paradis” is as eclectic as one could ask for as Oes Galliath has a very firm and very exciting core of black metal whose power cannot be denied for a moment between the delicious riffage, intersections of mild psychedelia, and excellence that takes directly from traditional black metal in a way that is nigh on delicious. It all makes for one hell of a farewell that, while still bitter, leaves this band in a position to take the crown as one of France’s best-kept secrets of black metal that we’ll ever know.

While I am saddened to see the name of Oes Galliath come to rest, I find solace in knowing that the talent behind this name will likely not cease any time soon as each member has their own act to continue in glory. The excellence that graces “Sous l’œil Fermé des Paradis” from top to bottom is something that each member should be immensely proud of for how well it turned out, and I know damn well that any fans will be extremely proud to have experienced this band in the moment.

“Sous l’œil Fermé des Paradis” releases on November 23rd!

PRE-ORDER “Sous l’œil Fermé des Paradis” on Bandcamp here.d