Grylle – Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards (Legitimately Medieval Black Metal)
Perfect success comes in many forms. In the case of France’s bizarre, medieval black metal minstrel troupe Grylle, it’s written all over everything they do, everything their fingers touch. From the promo pack, looking at what appears to be a photo taken in corpse paint while pregnant, medieval demon and plague art, and a focus on using traditional medieval instruments to craft their latest full-length, Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards, Grylle brings the best in medieval black metal. But, wait, let’s not permit that empty phrase to lie silent without grasping what I mean. You need to understand, this is legitimately medieval, and black metal. Not medieval black metal. That genre tag is used only by those who have no idea what medieval even means.
Hark, is that a mandoloncello I hear? Yes, along with bagpipes, a citole, and a whole cast of medieval instruments flitting about like grotesqueries above Cathedral columns. After an intro filled with sickly medieval ladies, lads, and lords feasting and spreading disease among themselves, you’ll immediately notice Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards does not feature much in the way of traditional metal instrumentation. I swore to god there had to be at least guitar in this, but after researching what few esoteric marginal notes are written about Grylle, I’m not sure, and that’s part of the beauty. The mixing of traditional instruments to the extent that you’re uncertain if what you’re hearing is antique or new is impressive, but, further, it’s not for gimmick. This isn’t like so many bands swinging swords in dilapidated castles, or even the ridiculous folk varieties who barely understand the term folk. It’s as if Grylle was picked up from the 15th century and tossed into the world of black metal without paying attention to any of it. The vocals, with their sickly delivery, draw together the whole, creating a manuscript of sounds and textures you’ve probably never heard before.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Grylle – Egrotants, Souffreteux, Cacochymes, Covidards
Antiq Records
Cover Art: Miho Kuroyanagi (Medieval Painter, L’Atelier du Hérisson d’Or)
5 / 5
