Dreams of the Drowned Reveals Black Metal's Second Self (Early Track Stream)
Black metal’s strange second self is no secret, and bands like Dreams of the Drowned do not find inspiration from some hidden source. No, the outwardly conservative genre has always had a “self-twin,” as it were, one which pulls from progressive rock, the avant-garde, and metal alike to craft a singular sound. As we follow the lineage which starts with Cardiacs (who were not black metal, but let me continue) and weaves its way through Czral and Vicotnik’s various projects (as well as others, but we’re not here to namedrop) to the present day, artist like French expat Dreams of the Drowned initially sound like black metal’s mangled, progressive corpse, but, in reality, it’s just another step in the genre’s expanding second lineage.
Pulling from the obvious genre influences, as well as post-punk, psychedelic pop, Modern Classical music, and more, Dreams of the Drowned’s upcoming Missed Springs EP builds upon the project’s self-titled album and finds new avenues of exploration. Zeroing in on “Je suis elle – Elle et moi,” which can be streamed ahead of the EP’s Friday release below, Dreams of the Drowned finds a new center with each new influence brought to the table, be it the Saint-Saëns-by-way-of-Debussy piano closing, the pervading post-punk vocal presence, or even the more traditional black metal blasting which weaves its way into the fold. Dreams of the Drowned is an exciting example of black metal’s many tentacles moving in various directions, both backwards and forwards in time, but also across genre and personal lines, as well. Plus, a black metal cover of a Heitor Villa-Lobos study is beyond exciting (head to the Dreams of the Drowned Bandcamp for that one!).
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From the artist:
“Let’s celebrate the equinox. Besides recent apparitions in VIRUS and DØDHEIMSGARD, and relocating to Ireland, DREAMS OF THE DROWNED spent the last two years recording their second album (named “Malgré”). Here’s “Missed Springs”, an EP expanding the sound of the first one into something more psychedelic, while the new LP (more traditional in its approach) is being finished, as well as two upcoming split releases. Three unreleased songs, a reimagination of “And I Shall Never Be”, and two covers : one paying homage to the brazilian avant-garde master HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS, and another one to the short-lived VED BUENS ENDE resurrection from 2006. Six tracks somewhere between FLEURETY, SLINT, VOIVOD and THORNS, with a beautiful artwork made by La Consolation des Ombres, and the intent to summon, ritualize, synchronize, connect and commit to the renewing energies of spring, whenever we need it.
To be released on CD through Cult of Nine Records, Vinyl through Duplicate Records, and tape through Vulneraire Records – release dates TBA
Today is the reveal of the fifth track, “Je suis elle – Elle et moi”.
This one is constructed around two ideas from 2009 and 2011, where I was shamelessly channelling my inner Fleurety — one of the major influences in Dreams of the Drowned. I guess the end result turned out pretty different because of the frenchness, though; like “La Sorcière te Regarde,” I feel it conveys a kind of rural 70s prog vibe – simpler times of cosmic communions with the soil, bursting of joy with the smell of petrichor, and willfully losing yourselves to your inner crone. With even more cryptic french lyrics, more meant as floating textures than “proper” vocals, and an impressionist outro.
Promo picture by Pauline Leclercq”
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