Forteresse - Par hauts bois et vastes plaines

FORTERESSE - Par hauts bois et vastes plaines
2009
Sepulchral Productions

Black Metal in Québec has something very unique. A few bands like Monarque, Chasse-Gallerie, Mysothéisme, Neige et Noirceur, Jours Sombres, (...) and Forteresse, have drank from the fountain of Norway Trve Black Metal to create "Métal Noir", a branch of BM with lyrics and themes in the Province of Québec patriotic vein. The least we can say is that they're pretty good at it.

Forteresse is not new around. They started as a studio project, and had a few releases through Sepulchral Productions over the years, "Par hauts bois et vastes plaines" being their third full length. It's black, it's cold, and it's raw. Think early Darkthrone. The reference to Trve Black Metal and Darkthrone-like aesthetic is also present in the artwork. The cover has this "xerox" quality, with a cold landscape picture, and a "Métal Noir Épique Ambiant" statement, printed on thick cardboard to attest the artist's seriousness in his minimalistic approach.

"Par hauts bois et vastes plaines" is somewhat different from their previous efforts. Forteresse has always played minimalistic raw black metal, with blastbeats, repetitive buzzing guitar riffs and tortured vocals lost in the background, plus this great desolated atmosphere ("Ambiant"). On this album, the rythm has taken epic proportions. The aesthetic is still the same, but what makes me believe that the band created a landmark album, is the general tempo of the album. The guitar picking is hard to distinguish, and create this ambiant black metal wall of sound. The general drumming is mostly slow, almost à-la-funeral doom, while adding here and there a few upbeats for intensity. If you heard bands like Arcana Coelestia (Italy), then you will dig Forteresse "Par hauts bois et vastes plaines".