Peste Noire
Ballade Cuntre lo Anemi Francor

Two years after their last full-length, the French "black metal band" has finally released their latest work titled: "Ballade Cuntre Lo Anemi Francor", which literally translates to "Ballad Against the Enemy of France".
Even from the title and the cover, one can infer that the nationalist imprint that has always characterized Peste Noire's records is also present in this new release.

Some of the lyrics are directly taken from works of French authors (see Villon, Verlaine)... but let me immediately point out that I don't intend to dwell too much on this aspect, first because I don't know a word of French, and second because I don't have enough literary knowledge to give a judgment in this field.
The only thing I can say is that the title surely refers to the ballad written around the fifteenth century by the French poet François Villon (Ballade contre les ennemies de la France), considered by many as the precursor of the "maudits", or the cursed poets.

But let's talk about the sound of the album, which is certainly the most important and interesting part of the matter.
Since their early records, Peste Noire have always been exponents of a rather raw, dirty black metal, at times almost decomposed, depressive, but also very personal and full of emotion; starting with their first full-length with quite a good production, they have gradually degenerated more and more, arriving with this latest album at a truly disgusting and I would add sick production.
Obviously, I don't see this as a drop in style; rather, I believe it was done deliberately to do the opposite of what the institutionalized "black metal band" would do when they start to become successful.
More money and more experience almost always lead a band to improve production, but Peste Noire did exactly the opposite... and you might wonder why?

First of all, I think this is partly due to the fact that the two previous albums, "Le Sanie..." and "Folkfuck Folie" were more successful than they expected, but especially because I am convinced that the band's true intent, from the start of their musical career, has always been to produce music that fully represented the idea of medieval plague... and I must acknowledge that with this album, they have successfully achieved this aim.

To the most die-hard black metal fans, I say that if you expect to listen to a black metal album like the previous ones, or something vaguely reminiscent of the old works, well, you will be disappointed. This is because we are dealing with an album that certainly has its roots in the black metal of the old albums, but is essentially a folk album. A mixture of black metal and patriotic medieval folk for mentally disturbed, made up of simple and banal melodies, at times danceable, and a mix with clotted black metal.
Add to all this the sloppy and graceless singing of Famine (the lead singer) and you get something truly ingenious that at least doesn't sound like something already heard.

A significant contribution to this sonic decay is undoubtedly due, as previously mentioned, to Famine's pathetic and insane singing that, now aware of having quite a damaged voice, sings in scream anyway, just to make everything even more disgusting and ridiculous.
Songs where this is evident are, for instance, "La Mesniee Mordrissoire" and the title track, but not only these. Furthermore, the contrast between Famine's voice and that of the group's soprano Audrey Sylvain (who also sings in Amesours), who has a wonderful voice, tends to highlight even more how pathetic Famine sounds singing in that way. (see "La France Bouge - Par K.P.N. (Chant De L'Action Française)", "Neire Peste", "Soleils Couchants - De Verlaine").

But I repeat, everything is clearly intentional and what Peste Noire want to represent in their "work".
The artist's disadvantage turns into an advantage, more precisely into the artist's ability to represent that state of both physical and mental decay through their now damaged voice.
Another note I would like to add is that although the album consists of 10 tracks, there are a number of tracks that last only a few minutes and mainly serve as interludes of the album.
"Concerto Pour Cloportes", "Requiem Pour Nioka (À Un Berger-Allemand)" and "Vespre" are part of those interludes and among the most touching tracks of the album, because in their simplicity and brevity, they offer truly intense moments.

"Concerto Pour Cloportes"

Notes from a piano seem to come out as if from the horn of a late nineteenth-century gramophone... it's almost as if a ghost were playing that playful and somewhat childish melody, complete with a final big laugh.

"Requiem Pour Nioka (À Un Berger-Allemand)"

The sound of a piano echoes amidst the patter of rain, while a siren's song accompanies that sound in the air, mesmerizing the poor listener who can only remain intoxicated and captivated by that haunting funeral atmosphere.

"Vespre"

Unlike the other two tracks, it is an organ sonata that seems played by a child learning to use the instrument;
a brief synthesis of the album's simplicity and sonic superficiality... demonstrating that the album is banal because it's intended to be banal.

"A La Mortaille!", "Rance Black Metal De France" are perhaps the most black metal tracks on the album.

The plague is slowly infecting all the instruments; the ironic, insane, patriotic vein remains always present and evident, given the superficiality of the offering... Just listen to how the instruments are played... And Famine really continues to sing like a madman.

In conclusion, one of the most sick, disturbing, and stupid albums from the French band, but perhaps precisely for these reasons, one of the most successful and the ones that make me appreciate this band more and more.
I'm sure a large slice of people won't like the album, well, also a matter of personal taste... Or perhaps the band just managed to achieve what they wanted.