Csejthe
Transcendance

These Csejthe from Canada present their latest effort with the EP "Transcendance" released in 2010.

Formed in 2006 with a full-length and a split already under their belt, this trio takes its name from the castle where a certain Countess Bathory resided and takes us back in time to mid-'90s black metal sounds so dear to Satyricon (Dark Medieval Times) and Emperor. There is one thing to say: we are not facing yet another third-rate clone band but rather a reality strong in personality and good taste.

Excellent keyboard orchestrations ooze seductively from their intricate compositions, where ethereal and soft guitars create gloomy and mortuary atmospheres. Forget the classic Black Metal outbursts and copy/paste blastbeats placed a bit everywhere; here, you will find exclusively the negative sentiment of those who scheme behind your back, doing so slowly and obsessively.
Of course, the closest connections in the genre are found among the Norwegian masters, but here it seems the lesson has been internalized and developed in a personal way without taking anything away from the old school it references.

"Dans ces souterrains anciens
Règne une étrange Atmosphère de passion".

The language used is French, which adds even more ghostliness to their compositions, full of black passion and finely arranged down to the smallest details. "Souterrains" with its initial doom pacing makes us sink into an abyss of anguish and wonder while the guitars caress the depths of the earth and bring negative and almost nihilistic feelings to the surface. The recurring soundscape creates a substrate of cold lethargy and Morne's voice seeps into this concentration of abject stillness. The Shining promoted something like this in their masterpiece "Livets Ändhållplats" without being able to replicate it in the future.

With "Déréliction," the tone changes, and the band demonstrates an excellent knack for wisely choosing melodies; seven minutes of oppression and catharsis project us into a waking nightmare and elevate Csejthe to soon become a cult band. The best track of the EP and the most intense from every point of view.

The mystical "Transcendance" takes us further back in time, and the Middle Ages seem to return in musical form. As always, melodic guitars are the concrete foundation of this project, but we should not underestimate their ability to assemble airy and intangible sensations with primordial and oppressive rough and minimal excursions. The wonderful instrumental "Mémoires" closes, where a sad and calm piano cradles us in our deathbed.

After France, here comes some new realities overseas that should not be underestimated. Both sound and recording are excellent, and the digipack and graphics are stunning.

Awarded a solid 4 out of 5.