Dirge is a french band born in 1994. From the industrial metal genre that exploded in the first part of the 90's, the band slowly evolved towards more atmospheric sounds and progressive structures, related to the post-metal scene.
After their enormous double album "Wings of lead over dormant seas" (lasting about 2 hours, including one song of an hour !), this too rare band comes back with its 4th album "Elysian magnetic fields".
Too rare, indeed, because 4 albums in almost 18 years of existence isn't much at all and DIRGE isn't hyperactive live speaking (although they deplore it themselves), but here especially, quality prevails over quantity !
Where the previous album was very stretched and progressive, this new release is more compact and direct; this isn't a radical comeback to their industrial roots (except the song "narconaut", very old Godflesh-like) but heaviness and massive power are omnipresent with a palpable tension that is almost constantly dark, scary and overwhelming...
Songs like the long opener "Morphée rouge" or "Obsidian" are brillantly hypnotic and painful, sometimes reminding the dark and epic aura of YOB on "Atma" but with more despair and pronouced dissonances like the NEUROSIS of the mid-late 90's. The progressive edge specific to the post metal/HC style à la ISIS isn't left at all, even if more nuanced, if offers some quieter moments, where mystery and beauty coexist in perfectly arranged atmospheres.
The last song "Apogée" (which means "peak", pretty aptly named !) is maybe my fave with both others mentioned, this longest song (12 mn) is the perfect closer to this album, synthesizing brillantly the original and rich musical world of DIRGE: massive, dark, violent, tortured, aesthetic, abrasive... like a kind of immense and fragile fortress from a dark and cold unknown realm !
The band has toured a few months ago, 10 dates including Germany and other countries from central/ eastern Europe, next one is (this week-end) a festival in Portugal with Godflesh, Sungrazer, Jesu... Nothing huge or spectacular but certainly some serious sets to promote this great new album ! It's never too late, so give them a well-deserved chance and let you dive into this nice sonic aggression.
http://divisionrecords.blogspot.com/
http://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/Dirge/310458224008
The band has toured a few months ago, 10 dates including Germany and other countries from central/ eastern Europe, next one is (this week-end) a festival in Portugal with Godflesh, Sungrazer, Jesu... Nothing huge or spectacular but certainly some serious sets to promote this great new album ! It's never too late, so give them a well-deserved chance and let you dive into this nice sonic aggression.
http://divisionrecords.blogspot.com/
http://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/Dirge/310458224008
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