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HANTERNOZ “A Hed an Noz, A Noz, A Noz”
HANTERNOZ “A Hed an Noz, A Noz, A Noz”
By Dr. Abner Mality
The Bretagne region of France (also known as Brittany) is a fascinating place with its own language, folklore and culture that marks it as different from the rest of the country. Black metal is known for giving a voice to places like this. So it is with HANTERNOZ, who bring us an album drenched in the Breton language and the strange creatures of the region.
I’m all for it, but to tell the truth, many of the bands appearing on the French Antiq label are starting to sound the same. With HANTERNOZ, I love the concept, but the execution is lacking.The songwriting needs to be more distinct from other Antiq bands and some editing wouldn’t hurt either. The album starts with the 11 minute plus “Sur Le Chemin des Fees”. An interesting blackened riff rides in, but then the band ride that pony until you feel like taking it out back and shooting it. Very few black metal bands can make monotony work work and HANTERNOZ is no exception. The vocal are also super familiar…a ragged shout with little variation. The song would have worked a lot better at six minutes or less.
The band are more successful with shorter and punchier songs like “La Lessive des Trespasses”, which is catchier all the way around. No, it’s not hell-spawned necromancy but there’s more of a bite. Unfortunately, most of the other songs drag on for too long, resulting a dreary slog. I did like the pure Breton folk of “Pe Trouz War an Douar”, played on traditional instruments and emerging as quite charming.
HANTERNOZ just kinds of melts into the same pot that many other Antiq bands find themselves in, like TAN KOZH, GRYLLE and more. They have the right idea but really need to sharpen up and get their own sound.
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