If you have been reading my reviews on
Loadown—a big THANK YOU if you have!—you may have noticed that I have a tendency to categorize black metal (BM) in a binary way: (1) BM acts that do
not stray from the paradigm of black metal; and (2) BM acts that
do stray from the paradigm. BM acts that stray from the paradigm—what I earlier labeled
left-of-center BM—interpret the genre in ways that, for one, complicate the notion of just what a black metal band is and does, and second, include the elements of BM that fans of the genre expect. So, in addition to Klabautamann, of which I reaped much praise on because of their unconventional interpretation of black metal, France’s Reverence very much strays from the paradigm in their new album
Inactive Theocracy in interesting and unconventional ways—without, though, forsaking the primary elements of the genre. Reverence is less concerned with composing go-for-the-throat black metal than it is with composing songs that evoke moods and altered states of mind, so the album is best experienced by listening to it as a whole, rather than by individual songs. I highly recommend this album not only for die-hard fans of the genre, but also for listeners who have yet to fully commit to the genre—as
this could be the gateway album to convert the unbelievers of the genre.
If you have been reading my reviews on Loadown—a big THANK YOU if you have!—you may have noticed that I have a tendency to categorize black metal (BM) in a binary way: (1) BM acts that do not stray from the paradigm of black metal; and (2) BM acts that do stray from the paradigm. BM acts that stray from the paradigm—what I earlier labeled left-of-center BM—interpret the genre in ways that, for one, complicate the notion of just what a black metal band is and does, and second, include the elements of BM that fans of the genre expect. So, in addition to Klabautamann, of which I reaped much praise on because of their unconventional interpretation of black metal, France’s Reverence very much strays from the paradigm in their new album Inactive Theocracy in interesting and unconventional ways—without, though, forsaking the primary elements of the genre. Reverence is less concerned with composing go-for-the-throat black metal than it is with composing songs that evoke moods and altered states of mind, so the album is best experienced by listening to it as a whole, rather than by individual songs. I highly recommend this album not only for die-hard fans of the genre, but also for listeners who have yet to fully commit to the genre—as this could be the gateway album to convert the unbelievers of the genre. 