That good raw and true black metal emanates from France now comes as no surprise given the amount of good releases we receive on regular basis (Antaeus, Arkhon Infaustus, Himinbjorg, Malleus Maleficarum…amongst others) Belenos are another story and I remember being totally blown away by both demo tapes Loic Cellier sent us almost ten years ago. Belenos play a harsh yet quite melodic form of Viking / black metal and have from its first works (I mean years before the nowadays European wave) incorporated atmospheric folk orientated elements to its black metal. The first part of «Chemins de Souffrance» features the four songs of the 1998 «Allégorie d’une Souffrance»: it means mid-paced songs with a harsh feel and some clean parts added here and there to increase the atmospheric surrounding of the whole concept. The second part of the cd features four new compositions and show Belenos still tapping on gloomy atmospheres and almost epic passages, the whole coupled with pure hateful black metal background. No us for a fight if you enjoy real Pagan black metal you would without any doubt enjoy «Chemins de Souffrance».
Georges

Belenos-bzh@orange.fr

http://www.belenos.biz

http://www.northern-silence.de