Délétère – De Horae Leprae (Canada’s Best Black Metal Band Do You Hear Me?)
That’s right, I’m going straight literal with the title to this review, because it’s true do you hear me? Don’t even bother tossing names of other Canadian black metal outfits at me, just don’t. Délétère is the only one I want to hear about from now on do you hear me? I actually reviewed a previous release by them I enjoyed, so much I joked that I would leave my wife of 50 years, even though it’s only been 13 currently. It was a good EP, sure, but perhaps not as good as this one do you hear me? I mean just look at that cover by Pierre Périchaud of Business for Satan. Are you ready to be birthed from a leprous womb or something do you hear me?
Perhaps my only annoyance with this album is no Bandcamp who does that these days? I guess it’s more elite that way, or is it since you’re streaming above on the biggest video site on the net? Vimeo is more koolt. Whatever, because De Horae Leprae is an instant crush on two levels. One, I’d leave my wife for it, like maybe seriously this time, and two, it slams. After a much more memorable and fitting opening, with no cheesy Satan BS, this Quebec death squad lays out the leprous, rotting skin infant goodies, but with a more dainty touch. Like their last EP, it’s not so much the creativeness, but the quality. Délétère know more than how to play, they know how to expand definitions. What makes this album so great is the emotional approach they’ve taken. This one really drives into your veins and slows your heart to a nonexistent, depressed loathing. The keyboard work never verges on “man am I really listening to this?” and promotes the self-hating atmosphere much better than traditional BM snowstorm riffs. No panzerwaffeschnee here folks, Délétère work presence and a multi-layering of traditional sounds. The end result was nearly canon, were it not for its classic sound. Classic is typical in black metal, because it’s safe. These guys aren’t entirely safe, but not absolutely original, as I found with them before. They’re simply much better this time around, and that’s not necessarily any indication of permanence for future releases.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Délétère – De Horae Leprae
Sepulchral Productions
4.4 / 5
