Black metal has long been unmistakably divisive as the decades have piled onto all that the genre brings to the table in its many different forms. For everything that the sound can be, there have always been bands of all sorts from all across the globe pulling and twisting it into different directions with it always being a topic of debate as to what bands are doing things “the right way”. It varies from one person to the next, of course, but there are always the exceptional few names that manage to come around and astound us in ways we simply weren’t prepared for. Véhémence has been on the rise for years now with their latest offering poising them as what some are calling one of the genre’s best in decades.
Normally, this is not the sort of album that I would cover given that is a redo of Véhémence’s debut album from twelve years ago, “Assiégé”. However, I must make it clear that I believe this to be far more than a mere re-recording that Véhémence has done just to put off releasing some brand new material. Rather, this is a return to form, a reminder of how far the band has already come, and everything that the act has accomplished for both itself and black metal as a whole. Véhémence has long been a name to respect with their melodic approach and medieval theme carrying them far and achieving greatness many times over, yet it is with damn near every given aspect of “Assiégé Pour l’Éternité” that we see the true extent of Véhémence’s magnificent power put on full display. Crispier and far more honed than ever before, it’s in each of these six tracks that the French entity once again stands in damn near a league of their own with everything that they sought to offer listeners again in a singularly captivating form. This is black metal that’s undeniably focused and channeled through only the finest aspects of what has always made the sound great, yet it’s always throughout “Assiégé Pour l’Éternité” that Véhémence remains impeccable at keeping its personality thriving to allow the record not just be a feat for what the sound can still be, but an overwhelming demonstration as to this entity’s growing might.
Far more than a simply redux, Véhémence shows us yet again why they’re a name to respect in the first place. While I would have obviously loved some fresh material to sink my teeth into, there’s real magic interwoven into the very fabric of all that this record is. From its gentler moments to awe-inspiring intensity that holds nothing back, “Assiégé Pour l’Éternité” is a tour de force that is not to be underestimated in the slightest lest you miss out on a sensational work of black metal.
LISTEN to “Assiégé Pour l’Éternité” on Bandcamp here.
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https://youtu.be/2Kc31sEROzA?list=RD2Kc31sEROzA