Glorior Belli - The Great Southern Darkness (Metal Blade)

A black metal band from Paris? Signed to Metal Blade Records?  If the former might not sound like an obscure thought these days, then the latter fact certainly should.  While always consistent in the quality of metal they bring to the masses, it is usually bands with more mainstream appeal that Metal Blade are most known for signing.  Having said that, after listening to Glorior Belli - recently departed from Candlelight - one can kind of see why the band would have appealed to the label. Though certainly black metal in content, the band also introduce 'sludgier' moments, or 'Desert-Rock textures', as the band state in their own words. With a title like The Great Southern Darkness though, that might be a bit of a give away. 

Of course, some would say that black metal would not be black metal without the obligatory lyrics about Satan/Lucifer, and Glorior Belli won't disappoint in this regard, though they also find time to sing about 'rebel-ism' (sic) and other nihilistic subjects as well. And then of course there is the music.  As mentioned above, whist the band still consider themselves black metal, there is no doubting that it seems they are trying to escape their original roots, as can be heard on The Great Southern Darkness, with the self-titled track itself, providing any proof one may reuquire, a song that could easily have been ripped from the pages of desert stoners Kyuss, and most likely one of the key ingredients that Metal Blade saw has having the potential for the band to break to a larger crowd. But then again, can we expect any less from a 'post-modern' black metal band, with the French, along with their American counterparts - witness Wolves In The Throne Room - seemingly happy to lead the brigade, even if it far from the shoegaze of fellow Frenchmen such as Alcest and Ameesoeurs?