Of all the acts that I have come across in my many years of doing these reviews, the one-man act of Les Chants du Hasard remains one of the most unique and inventive names that I have come across by far. The use of 19th-century orchestral creations helmed by black metal vocals are unlike anything I have ever come across with them being experiences that I still wholeheartedly recommend for those unafraid to try something unabashedly different, but that no longer stands as the man’s single creation. Out of the same formless mass that brought forth that first act, it is now under the moniker of Hasard that a different yet faintly similar creation has been conjured for an experience that is just as engaging as its predecessor with all the macabre glory that one could ever possibly hope for.

It is ever so tempting to constantly compare Hasard with its predecessor given the clear strings that attach the two names apart from helmed by the same man, but that would be to greatly diminish what has been brought to the table for Hasard’s debut. Truly, “Malivore” needs to breathe all on its own without being automatically cast in the shadow of the act that came before so that we can all look upon the five tracks that have been summoned forth for this debut album in all that dark excellence that it is right from the beginning! Still greatly utilizing his knack for captivating symphonies that are far more than mere background noise for little more than mild flair, the entirety of “Malivore” is a viciously dramatic piece that never once lets the listener guessing as to precisely where it’s headed next. Be it down cascading paths drawn by a schizophrenic piano, pummeling riffs that glow from the influence of acts such as Blut Aus Nord with the imagery to match, or an absolute barrage of black metal know-how alongside jaw-dropping compositions, “Malivore” has more than enough surprises to grab even the most loosely interested ear not just because of how undeniably different the creation is, but how massive the creation is in every given aspect. Whether you want to pin this work firmly into the world of symphonic black metal or something different does not matter to me as there is but one truth regarding such in my eyes: we need more acts like Hasard.

This is the sort of act that was all but destined for excellence virtually right out of the gate. You could never have heard a single note from Les Chants du Hasard for any reason, it is once you come upon the dark majesty of Hasard’s debut effort that you’ll be left in astonishment with the performance at hand. One can only guess how active Hasard will be in the future compared to its counterpart, but it is until then that we have more than enough wonders to explore within the dimly lit halls of “Malivore” as it carves a path through the very soul of mankind’s inner horrors.

“Malivore” releases on May 12th via I, Voidhanger Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Malivore” on Bandcamp here.