SETH

Release Year: 2012
Artist Origin: FRA
Style: extreme harmonious atmospheric black metal

one of the early French black metal recordings that helped shape a direction steeped in harmonious side, gothic romanticism and theatrical drama, the first album [1998] by Bordeaux quartet unites Nordic aggression with a more refined, atmospheric expression, where abrasive guitar riffs are every bit as important as memorable melodies, acoustic interludes as well as subtle keyboard and piano accents; lyrics in their native language, vampiric topics and gothic aesthetics reinforce almost literary vision of darkness, while harsh, dramatic vocals and driving percussion prevent music from sinking into mere ornate melancholy, maintaining balance between merciless black metal fury and captivating allure that later became a defining trait of the scene; recent French edition comes with a remastered sound, two bonuses taken from 2000's split with Cultus Sanguine, and completely revamped artwork and layout