OSSUAIRE “Triumvirat”

By Dr. Abner Mality

In the dark, snowy reaches of Quebec, no black metal band is more impressive than OSSUAIRE. These Francophonic fiends have been churning out an album a year for the last few years and all have been excellent. We can now include “Triumvirat” in that group.

This one is short and sweet, hovering on the edge of being a mini-album. One of the best things about the band is that they have that epic sound, yet they don’t overstay their welcome. This odd combination of epic and compact is on full display here. After a genuinely atmospheric intro, they get right to business with “La Sainte Purge”...blazingly fast yet freezing cold black metal with a sad feeling to it. This sets up a drone that is hypnotic yet OSSUAIRE subtly change riffs at just the right time to keep your interest up. The title track attacks with more of the same and one thing’s for sure...these cats love speed!

“Ignipotentis” has some bewitching melodies from bells and synth and a pace that is slightly less breakneck. The music is catchier yet still far from commercial. “Cenotaphe” finishes things off with a medium paced, frosty crunch. It’s a good tune but I love the melancholy, evil drone of OSSUAIRE’s faster material.

I appreciate a band like this that produces material on a regular basis but firmly keeps the quality in.

SEPULCHRAL PRODUCTIONS

OSSUAIRE