Cantique Lepreux: U Jam?
The Age of Demystification. Unknowns and unknowables hardly seem threatening. In a few seconds, the biggest differences in culture and lifestyle can be studied deeply from a distance, privately, and for little money. Every year, millions are born who will do just that: react to our world’s novelty and weirdness with a bit of research and an openish mind. Fewer will find it easier to live ignorant and angry, and it will be harder to assign one’s internal anger to irritants in the outside world. Because every year, there will exist fewer people who know too little about gays, reverse racism, religion, cigarettes, pollution, nutrition — fewer to squeeze shut their eyes lest their scapegoats go up in smoke. So, lies and distortions will fall flat; scaredy-cat types will have died out. A lost cause, literally.
Demystification informs our music listening experience — especially metal, the global music. One huge difference is that music in languages other than English keeps to the fringes less. Now we can know their lyrics (via internet translation) and their context (internet search). Even if we don’t research them, we are served by a sense of relation. That’s new for most of us.
An awesome band whose lyrics and band name are in French language no longer register a .00001 on the USA interestometer; it’s a shame, but years ago only our most adventurous tape-trading dork fans would’ve sought such a band. In 2016, we know that this band probably is part of the Quebec’s in-bloom black metal movement. Their vocalist probably does that occasional alto scream like he’s overcome by something totally awesome and super painful. Their vibe is probably less cavey than foresty, better for blaring across a dark valley than from a sunblasted mountaintop, and ruthlessly listenable. Their value to your daily life ranges from “significant” to “vital.” If that band happens to be Cantique Lépreux, then that is all accurate plus they’re hiding an awesome lead guitarist too. Fuck, I love 2016. Crank it up!!!!!
Cantique Lépreux’s Cendres Célestes came out Friday via Eisenwald. Get it here and here.
