Metal Noire Quebecois
by u/kylo_hen
Métal Noir Québécois: A Quebec Black Metal Primer
Preface
When someone says ‘black metal,’ images of burning stave churches in the fjords of Norway are conjured along with corpse paint, spikes, inverted crosses, and shrill, fast, aggressive music. At least, that was the case for myself. Turns out black metal as a genre is much more nuanced and varied - with local scenes as distinct from each other as much as other sub-genres of metal are different. I had wanted to ‘get’ black metal for a long time, but after listening to A Blaze in the Northern Sky for the 4th time, still found it difficult. What was I not getting?
Then I got turned onto Enslaved’s latest releases by accidentally thinking they were Swedeath (that’s Entombed…) and really digging the good production and dynamics of In Times, RIITIIR, and Vertebrae. This was the black metal I could get behind - no overtly satanic stuff, melody, and hi-fi production. Pinpointing what I liked and didn’t about ‘trve kvlt’ black metal, I set out to find more and expand my horizons. I wandered into Drudkh, mgła, and eventually a band named Forteresse. And thus, I discovered the very awesome black metal scene in Quebec, Canada. My goal with this is to highlight what I’ve found as I’ve explored this scene, what gave rise from a historical context, and finally a list of releases to check out. That being said, I present Métal Noir Québécois: A Quebec Black Metal Primer.
note: I apologize in advance for any typos especially with accented vowels - French is hard
Musical Evolution from Norwegian Style to a Unique Identity
At the start of the Quebec black metal (QBM) scene are two bands trying to recreate the sound of the second wave Norwegian sound. Tenebrae - Serenades of the Damned, 1994 is a demo that shows up in 1994. I’d say this is more a copycat of that distinct Norwegian sound than anything original. BUT it establishes a scene, if not small, in Quebec. Very raw, dissonant, lots of satanic/occult themes, and what will turn out to be important for the QBM scene - lyrics in English. A couple years later, Frozen Shadows - Empires des Glaces, 1996 shows up. The change in just 2 years is phenomenal. Themes are still very much occult, but here we see an important distinction - some lyrics and songs sung in the Québécois French dialect. Additionally we see synth keyboards added in some sections, an homage to Emperor and Immortal.
The first full-length release by Tenebrae comes the same year in 1996 (The Mist Soften my Sorrow), and the first full-length by Frozen Shadows in 1999 - Dans Les Bras Des Immortels. It is important to note that in 1999, the vocalist of Frozen Shadows (also ex-Tenebrae), Myrkhaal, formed Sepulchral Productions which has released a majority of QBM records since 1999, and is just as integral to the scene as the music itself.
By 1999 the QBM scene is leaving the Norwegian influence to create its own sound.
Métal Noir Québécois
Though establishing a medium to ouput black metal in Quebec, Sepulchral Productions laid dormant for 7 years. In 2006, floodgates were opened and three bands were signed that proved to be pillars of the QBM scene: Forteresse - Métal Noir Québécois, Gris - Neurasthénie, and Sombres Forêts - Quintessence. Forteresse combined traditional folk melodies with a high production value. Gris took doomy/depressive elements and coupled those with traditional black metal production. Sombres Forêts landed somewhere in the middle. All turned to the strong nationalism sentiment in Quebec and took pride in heritage. Satanic/occult themes were dropped in favor of liberté for the sons of New France. English was mostly abandoned for the Québécois French dialect. The path and future of the QBM scene was clear - métal noir Québécois was born.
2006 and Onward
Since the birth and development of a unique sound in 2006, many bands have sprung up to carry the QBM banner. Lyrical themes are still heavily nationalist, though the ice and snow of Canada has provided inspiration just as much now. Many choose French for lyrics, though English finds its place now and then. The music remains mostly melodic and atmospheric in nature, now more matured with the help of outside influences (ala Drudkh, Winterfylleth, and so on). QBM is a new scene, though its roots can be traced back to the second wave. Following are some recommendations for getting into the genre that I admittedly haven’t even begun to scratch at the surface of. But hopefully this will be enough to peak your interest and send you off in the right direction. Thanks for reading!
Sombres Forêts - La Mort du Soleil
Forteresse - Thèmes Pour La Rébellion
Forteresse - Les Hivers de Notre Époque
Neige et Noirceur - Les Ténèbres Modernes
Neige Éternelle - Neige Éternelle
Grimoire - À la Lumière des Cendres
Délétère - Les Heures De La Peste
Sorcier des Glaces - Moonrise in Total Darkness
Cantique Lépreux - Cendres Célestes
Monarque/Forteresse/Csejthe/Chasse-Galerie - Légendes (Split)
edit: completely forgot to credit where I got info - This article on aminoapps(idk what this site is) written by Chancellor Sma helped put a timeline of info I gathered from wikipedia and encyclopedia metallum
More edits: Here are some more recommended bands to check out from the comment section