Les Blessures De L'Ombre

Just as with "Le Feu Sacré", the first Dernière Volonté full length, the second anticipated release, "Les Blessures de l'Ombre" begins with the warm glow of an accordion ouverture. And then, without ado the military pop-machine lurches into familiar gear, yet not to be deceived this is a far different engine.
The production's salient polish dredge tracks mired about the ankles of low-fi onto the mound of territory bravely won; Geoffroy D's voice hale and robust as ever well suited in his French tongue. Drums meter the steps that the organs march, uplifting tracks of bombast that will infect via the soles of the listener's boots to match, horns sounding out the formidable army. Particularly the tracks, 'La Foudre Et Le Tonnerre', and verse-less 'Vers la Lumiere', which harkens ala Dead Can Dance tribal rhythms with sharp strings are conspicuous favourites. Moments of repose break the relegation to simple pop as pliant drifts of organs and choir stretch the breadth between some tracks, much in the style of LJDLP's ambient strains.
Overall, though no doubt housed in huddling dark shops' "dark ambient" CD stands across the globe there is little of the oppressive and deafeningly bleak here though melancholy holds face for several tracks. An excellent follow-up, "Les Blessures de l'Ombre" illuminates the aggregating presence of Dernière Volonté on the auspicious HauRuck! label.
NYR