(c) Black December
Doom, Gloom and so much more have always accompanied the work of Black December. The quintet from Thuringia has skillfully refined its mix of death metal and doom over the last few years, accompanied by correspondingly stirring, emotional lyrics. And they are taking center stage more than ever for the fifth prank. „Your Sunset | My Sunrise“ strives to express the desire for inner peace. And this path is full of tears and abysses.
“Dead End: May” opens with an ominous title and ominous sounds. A nine-minute introductory piece covers the substance well and also illustrates the class of the Germans. The majestic structure with its dense textures, oppressive melodies and reduced, whispery-folk inserts comes wonderfully, stirs up and creeps towards an explosive finale. The feelings that built up during Décembre Noir only slowly release, revealing anger that ranges from deadly to bittersweet and attempts to defy despair. It remains a courageous draw that we are happy to witness.
It doesn’t stop at this tough yet rewarding magic, as “Sleepwalker (In Yesterday’s Smoke)” skilfully and emphatically underlines. The death metal side is allowed to take the lead here, guttural growls meet a melodic bulwark, as dense as it is moving. The double bottom in the midst of chaos cannot be dismissed as the quintet moves towards blast and underlines the finale with blackened chic. The comparatively compact video release “Against The Daylight” is also strong, in which Doom and Gloom come together more than ever. Courageous Melodic Death Metal on the one hand, oppressive Death Doom on the other – it can sometimes be that simple.
Six monoliths form the backbone of this little giant, which actually doesn’t do that much differently than before, but clearly exerts conscious pressure, bringing the various musical aspects together, enchanting and sobering. “Your Sunset | My Sunrise” is no longer ‘just’ Death, Doom or Death Doom, but finds a happy medium that sounds pleasantly independent in the familiar. Décembre Noir find the golden mean, rough and subtle at the same time. That’s what world pain sounds like.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: October 13, 2023
Available via: Lifeforce Records (SPV)
Website: decembre-noir.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DecembreNoir
Category: Magazin, Reviews