Mörkvulth is a band hailing from Brittany (France) with the distinct feature, for this second album, of having completely changed its line-up (with the exception of its founder, Grégory Person. It is with a fresh mind that the band embarked on the production of its new album, backed by the Antiq Records label, which has been delivering some truly fine releases in recent years.
The least I can say is that I wasn’t really moved by this record upon listening to the first track, ‘Dindan Gouloù ar C’hroajoù Mein’ which I found quite generic in terms of both riffing and structure even if the end of the song is actually rather good, with a nice epic aesthetic.
However, it would have been a mistake to stop there. Indeed, this first track serves as an appetizer before getting down to serious business starting with the second song, which offers a very well-crafted epic Black Metal. We have a rhythm guitar and a melodic guitar. The latter really dresses up the tracks, which take on more personal dimension. You can tell that a lot of care went into writing the different elements (guitars, bass, drums) so that everything fits together naturally, with the songs concealing a few well executed details that only reveal themselves after several consecutive listens.
Although the main screamed vocals felt like they lacked a bit of personality, the backing choirs really add something grandiose to this album : an epic, nostalgic touch that is very pleasant to listen to. All the passages with choirs are memorable and make you want to dive back into the record once more, discovering further nuances with each listen.
Even if Mörkvulth isn’t offering us one of the most original albums with a marvelous defined personality here, that doesn’t seem to be their goal, and that’s a good thing. On the contrary, you can feel that they are enthusiasts of a specific style of epic Black Metal, and they’ve pushed that passion far enough to deliver a solid album that honors a very specific aesthetic. From that perspective, the album is a success.
A few good ideas still lick the face, such as adding a few touches of mid-tempo Black Metal on certain passages (for instance on ‘Va C’heriadenn’ which turns out to be one of the strongest tracks on the album). Likewise, the use of the Breton language, specific to the band’s home region, adds an extra layer of authenticity that contributes to the identity of this ultimately rather convincing record.
In Fine, even if ‘Gwenojennoù an Ankounac’h’ isn’t the most original or groundbreaking album of the year, it possesses enough qualities to make multiple listens worth it and allow you to fully enjoy its epic universe.
