Here
it is, the first full length album of Cauchemar after a long trip all
over the world for the doom amigos. While there's 3 years between
their debut EP ''La Vierge Noire'' and ''Tenebrario'' not a lot of
things changed in their sound but they managed to fix most of the
little defaults I thought their first release had. Cauchemar is
actually a good version of the old school Québécois band Trop
Féross (they're worth a look if you want to laugh!) as they're
relying on a simplistic to the point approach and an unorthodox woman
at the mic. The most important thing about the band is the total
chemistry between the vocals and the riffs probably due to the fact
Annick and François are a married couple in everyday's life. I was
glad to hear the new album and I must thank the band for their
friendship and the opportunity to write a review!
A
complaint I heard was Annick's vocals. While I enjoy them, I reckon
they're an acquired taste. They're much better than on the debut too,
they're more adapted to the songwriting and her chops are better
overall. Still, I think they're more enjoyable live as Annick has a
lot of charisma and an aptness at theatricality. I can't wait to see
them for the third time at Wings of Metal with Manilla Road, Satan
and Midnight among others. Her vocals are well served by the catchy
vocal lines, these were a strength of La Vierge Noire. Songs
like ''Magie Noire'' or ''Les Ailes de la Mort'' had very catchy
choruses and it's still the case here such as in ''D'Encre et de
Sang''. She really managed to move me in ''Le Fantôme'' (one of the
standout tracks) and in the dreamlike acoustic title
track placed at the end of the album. There's some parts that doesn't
work for me such as the chorus for ''Tête de Mort'' but it's still
an improvement. While there's a clear NWOBHM influence here, she
doesn't have the range of the great singers of the genre, she's more
like a Terry Jones. I'm obviously not saying the singer of Pagan
Altar has no range but his place at the helm is similar. Both are
writing great lyrics with a total understanding of the music's
atmosphere. I know she's a big fan of the mythical British horde but
she's also a fan of Paul Chain, an influence on the track ''Trois
Mondes''. The influence of the Italian doom scene is present but not
thorougly, perhaps more in feel than in reality. I wish the
psychedelic doom sound was more present in ''Tenebrario'' but knowing
François, the sound is compromising between the classic rock and
traditional doom taste of the guitarist (for example, Trouble and
Pentragram) and Annick's darker and occult doom border-lining on black
metal. Although some of the vocals can be hit and miss, it's really a
daring task to compose metal in French especially the kind with clean
and understandable vocals. Not a lot of traditional metal bands were
really successful at Molière's language. ADX, Sortilège, Vulcain or
Killers were able to but it's always been somewhat weird and not
completely natural for many others. I think Cauchemar created a sound of their own and that, since their EP and even though
this album is very good, I don't think their evolution is complete.
There's hints to a somewhat more grandiose and developped sound in
some of the songs and this could definitely lead to a more intricate
songwriting.
To
complete their sound recipe, there's good and very rockish riffs and
the album is very cohesive regardless of the different tempos (mid
paced to a bit faster, I guess?). It's not a slow band in any ways.
It rarely even stops to have blistering Victor Griffinesque solos and
it doesn't quite need to most of the time. There's no solos in
Cauchemar (except the slow mournful solo in "Trois Mondes") but there's
cool leads such as the one in "Salamandre". Nevertheless, I wish some
songs had more leads and solos but the fact that the riffs are the
main focus of the band leaves not a lot of place to intervene and it
would probably be harmful to the rhythmn. It's fast and I think they
could even take their time and develop some of the slower facets of
their formula but that's my opinion, of course ! The album is
rather short and there's nothing wasted, some songs could easily be
six or seven minutes, they always were a tight band and I reckon they
do that well. Their formula still really works though and for a first
full length album, they took their sound further with an attention to
details and some safe but present innovation.
The
presence of a new bassist (Andrés Arango) is also noticeable, the
bass was played by Annick on the EP and it was lackluster to say the
least. It's still not sufficient to fully support the earthy and
rocky riffs but there's some bass licks which are welcomed. The drums
are professional albeit boring and safe, they lack power as well but
that's more a symptom of the production that overpowers the
guitars a bit too much. It's still a good mix though, it's clean,
natural and has a fun ''do it yourself'' feel. The vocals are placed
carefully behind the music as it's not the main asset of the band and
this gives a pleasant cavernous and almost religious to Annick's
voice. The guitars are heavier than on the EP as well but it's still
pretty vintage and far from the extreme sound found in doom and
stoner. Their 2010 debut still had a good production so the step is
not very drastic. It has the doom spirit that I like, nothing is
complicated and nothing is forced
As
a big doomster, it's always a joy to hear a local band exploring the
genre you like. They sail against the current in the Québec/Ontario
metal scene populated mostly by death and black metal bands. There's
a certain new found diversification these days with bands like
Chthe'ilist
or Beast Within. The scene has always been somewhat varied but
technical/progressive bands are what Québec is known for since
Voivod and a return to the basis of metal is appreciated, be it doom or anything else.
I
must also salute the fact that their lyrics were once again written
in French. in An artistic decision like that necessitates a lot of
confidence and balls. Annick is the metal queen of Montréal (sorry
Morrigan!) and she's definitely not afraid of anything and she's
uncompromising. I like that it's a worldwide doom phenomenon with
bands like Ocean Chief (Sweden) or Reino Ermitaño (Peru) who are
singing in their mother tongue. It adds a certain vernacular charm to
the music and it's easier to relate for the local fans of these
bands. It's fun for me to sing some doom metal in my mother tongue,
it's a good feeling . Their lyrics are good too, rooted in occultism
and darkness while still being original and diverse. Cauchemar is
quite unique in the small Canadian doom scene. They're not as psychedelic as
Blood Ceremony and not as rooted in traditionalism and epicness as
Funeral Circle, they play their cards well and they're are an hard
working band with a lot of honesty both in their sound and their
attitude.
I really liked ''Tenebrario'', it's a good first album for Cauchemar and it places them in a nice position in the doom world. Their label (Nuclear War Now !) doesn't seem to think they're a priority as there's some problems and delays with the release of the album and it's a damn shame. They're the sole traditional band on the black/death label and it always seemed weird to me. Nevertheless, I'm glad to follow the band through its evolution and even though I'd like them to push the boundaries further and to be a bit more epic, I'd gladly take another album like that. Long live the golden couple of Canadian doom.
The vinyl is available on Nuclear War Now!, the CD will follow soon!
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