ALBUM REVIEW: IIII – Neige Morte
France’s filthiest black metal outfit NEIGE MORTE return to purge the world of all substance with their imaginatively titled fourth album IIII. Priding themselves in creating the rawest and dirtiest black metal ever, will it draw out yet more pestilence from the deepest crevices of the mind or will it see their music evolved into something less rotten and more appealing to the masses?
You may be inclined to check your speakers connection is okay when listening to this album but worry not, it is just The Call illuminating the extreme noise that is around the corner. Demonstrating seamlessly the band’s unnatural desire to create the most rotten sound imaginable, Hlcst leaps between somewhat doom-esque territory and seemingly random time signatures creating a noise that at times resembles music.
That being said, NEIGE MORTE are not the sort of guys to produce crystal clean material, instead preferring to conjure up some of the sickest song writing known to man – so considering that, they achieve their musical objectives rather well in that sense. Svart Hål ensures that if you hadn’t contemplated murder then you certainly start thinking about it now, fuelled by relentless tremolo and screeching vocals that sound as if they were recorded in a hallway, it is certain to unsettle even the most crazed of minds.
There’s certainly no rationing when it comes to dishing out distortion as NEIGE MORTE hold nothing back in a furious display of terror inducing fury that would please fans of MAYHEM and bands attuned to the darkest form of metal ever created. And Beyond forms a beautifully turgid bridge between darkness and despair before Lämna Inga Spår relates somewhat to a soundtrack of a psychopath, furiously lashing between putrid rhythm and yet more wailing vocals propped up by crazy time signatures. Enjoyable albeit rancid. Bars are raised as Iceage continues to demonstrate the bands attraction to the darkest of emotions before title track IIII exhibits a sound that is unsettling and dirty. It’s perhaps not something you want played at your gran’s birthday party but if you are needing inspiration to single-handedly eliminate everyone on your street then this is the anthem for you.
IIII is so filthy that it’s very hard to imagine it appealing even to the extreme metal masses, however all those who thrive in the darkest recesses of black metal will have a field day with this truly pestilent release by NEIGE MORTE. Its important to remember that these guys are not interested in clean-cut melody that the likes of Swedish giants MARDUK would create but instead they thrive in an atmosphere that is beyond apocalyptic, beyond dark and beyond pleasant. For that reason this album does all the band set out to do – to continue delivering the dirtiest form of black metal imaginable while introducing some new elements which in this case would be doom inspired. While it is not going to be appetising to most, IIII takes the band deeper into the womb of unadulterated filth and even if it is not for you it is probably worth a listen – just don’t blame us if you have dark thoughts afterwards, you have been warned!
Rating: 6/10
IIII is set for release May 15th via Division Records.
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