FORTERESSE - Thèmes pour la rébellion
Label: Sepulchral Productions
Released: 2016
I first learned about FORTERESSE back in 2009. Some magazine had an article about the Quebec black metal scene and they were featured in it. The piece was interesting enough that I wanted to check out FORTERESSE. Since I was doing SFM666 at the time I just emailed one of my PR contacts (a guy who use to send me all this obscure black metal releases) to see if he knew how to get me something to hear and review from the band or their label, Sepulchral Productions. Well it took some time but the guy finally came through with the band's Les hivers de notre époque release from 2008. Although it was cool that I got it, I nixed the idea of a review since it was a year old (actually it was closer to two). Still it was a decent release but I never bothered to keep up with them as far as their future releases and career went. That was up until this year around August when I read about this release.
Obviously FORTERESSE have moved on from their basic second wave blackened style of eight years ago plus they've dropped the folksy stuff as well. Sound-wise they've become fuller, colder and down right mean, not that they weren't all that years ago. It just feels like now their music has a clear sense of purpose beyond that of just being good sounding black metal. Things have been given room to grow. The riffs have a bigger bite as well as variety. The tremolo picked leads are like icy needles stabbing you. The rhythmic intensity throughout is far more fierce and yet they allow room for a fluid melody to it all. Yeah this is still angry in your face black metal. The vocals are pure volatile but it's not out to exploit but to explain to the listener, "we're pissed and here's why, join us".
Thèmes pour la rébellion is a concept album (there's your "purpose") about a failed attempt in 1837-38 by the people, in what we now call Quebec, who wanted sovereignty and a homeland. Obviously there's still a lot of animosity up there and bands like FORTERESSE are supporters of Quebec nationalism. The release opens with the muffled sounds of shouting and gunfire. You hear someone's footsteps across a wooden floor then a door opening as if giving witness to the rebellion. Then the music commences and chaos ensures just like the cover of Thèmes pour la rébellion depicts. All in all a great release.
Rating: 5/5
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