Release Date: June 21st 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl
L'Œuvre Au Noir: Tracklisting
1.Crushed 04:09
2.This Life 04:11
3.The Devil's Deal 05:41
4.La Bruixa Del Sol 06:23
5.Seal Of Lucifer 05:02
6.Lilith Se Meurt 04:05
7.Land Of Nod 07:17
8.My Inner Demon 05:27
9.We Are The Damned 05:27
Review
L'Œuvre Au Noir is the debut album from French Doom/Stoner Metallers Brüle who explore Occult Rock pastures with a sense of soaring Psychedelic atmospheres which brings a powerful Cosmic Doom flavour to the album. Brüle stands out from the crowd by transforming their music into a classic GRUNGE assault on the senses with echoes of Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell appearing within the kick-ass vocals especially on the stunning second track This Life.
Though, Brüle returns to the more down-tuned and sonic style of music that appears on the excellent opening track Crushed. Though, the fantastic Grunge inspired direction Brüle does appear for certain parts of the album that is mostly powered by gloomy rhythms and distorted grooves that allow Brüle to become quite original with the creative choices on the whole album. There’s moments of Sludgy and Down-tuned environments that allows the band to have a menacing presence when the Doom Metal aspects fully take control.
Things become even more sinister with the following tracks: La Bruixa Del Sol, Seal Of Lucifer and Lilith Se Meurt. The music has an AMPLIFIER DISTORTED texture where Brüle move other into areas of Blues Rock, NOLA and Grunge yet again for an album that sounds like it doesn’t want to be part of the Doom/Stoner Metal world but one that constantly delivers outstanding instrumental jams that have a seedy and sinister level of FUZZ appearing which could be paying homage to bands such as KYUSS, GREENLEAF and TRUCKFIGHTERS on Seal Of Lucifer
The final stages of the album adds a slight Progressive nature to the record with Brüle experimenting with Psych Rock environments which once again allows the band to change their musical style and creative identity yet again on which perhaps offers the most impressive Doomed Out and Classic Heavy Metal induced moments on the album on tracks such as: Land Of Nod, My Inner Demon and We Are The Damned.
L'Œuvre Au Noir is an absolute blast from start to finish with Brüle never bowing down to genre conventions and offering a refreshing style of Psychedelic and Occult based energy that showcases a truly great and hugely talented band has arrived from the French Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. If it’s good enough for MONOLORD’s Esben Willems to master this great album at his famed Studio Berserk then what other reasons do you need…
Check this outstanding album out now. You won’t be sorry.
Words by Steve Howe
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