MISERY - Miseria Aeterna
Demo II. Cdr. 6 tracks. 2011.
Self-released.





















REVIEWS

Un Misery de plus, ça commence à faire beaucoup d'homonymes ! Celui-ci est un "one-man band" français et vous propose ici ce qu'il nomme du "funeral black art", soit un mélange de black metal dépressif et de dark ambient joué à la vitesse du funeral doom ou du drone. CLairement, on sent dès les premières notes que l'influence principale est le SunnO))) période Black One (collaboration entre les maîtres du drone doom et certaines pointures de la scène U.S, comme Malefic de Xasthur et Wrest de Leviathan). C'est donc une musique qui ne vous fera pas "headbanger", mais est parfaite pour s'aérer l'esprit. Le chant est à la fois incantatoire et désespéré, et les ambiances macabres d'âmes en peine errant dans des monastères en ruines à la lumière de la pleine lune, sont bien rendues. Seulement, voilà : certains morceaux laissent une impression d'inachevé et auraient mérité d'être un poil plus développés afin de maximiser l'atmosphère funèbre dégagée. Rien qui ne puisse être amélioré avec un peu plus de travail, car cette misère éternelle a clairement un fort potentiel et mérite de toucher plus de monde.

(Laurent Lignon for Metallian. 03.2012. France.)





While the black metal scene in France remains poignant and potent as ever, the funeral black metal subgenre remains one of the niche markets within the underground. Inspired by famous mourners such as Xasthur, Nortt, Forgotten Tomb, (early) Until Death Overtakes Me and Striborg “Miseria Aeternia” is the third independent effort by Misery who earlier released “Elendighet III” in 2009, this and “Messe Interdite” both in 2011. Misery is apparently a productive unit. The ghoulish vocals remind of earliest Mortiis (“Fodt Til A Herske”). The atmosphere is sufficiently grim with spooky keyboards, minimal riffing, solemn acoustic bits and ambient effects, the drum beats are fairly simple but ominous. All cuts have a similar structure and although this isn’t exactly the most diverse and brutal of genres, Misery manages to take the basic building blocks of this genre and make them sound interesting. “Miseria Aeternia” is far from a vital record, but where a lot of funeral/drone acts tend to plod on aimlessly Misery has a clear idea of where they want to go. This distinction makes this record far more interesting and engaging than any other of recent memory. This isn’t exactly a game changer but its solid nature and clear direction make it far more powerful than many of their directionless peers. The guitar tone is buzzy and not very defined or clear-cut, it is crunchy. All tracks are sung entirely in French, but the lingual difference aside this is well-written funeral black metal that will appeal to that segment of the market.

(Wouter Roemers for Masterful Magazine. 01.2012. Poland.)





Misery are a French blackened funeral drone act. For some reason, this album, Miseria Aeternia instantly reminds me of Jack the Ripper. Y'know, legendary prostitute disfiguring guy from Whitechapel before Whitechapel stole and pissed on the name. Confused? You should be.

I can imagine myself as the ripper, decked out in a multi-piece suit with a cane, pocket watch and bowler hat, prowling through the streets of London looking for ripe whores I can entice with a few coins long enough to disembowel them in some shadowed street corner.

Misery's Miseria Aeternia is dark, brooding, sorrowful atmospheres akin to, but still distant from, Mhönos as well as the aforementioned shadowed street corner. From simple, chilling drum-work, and ominous keyboards to the grim vocals and minimal riffing, Misery are indeed miserable.

This is definitely « right kind of mood » type of music. If you're tired and want something morbid to carry you off to your favourite night terors, it works. If you're trying to keep yourself busy or motivated, try something else. It's a good soundtrack to have playing while you're out killing dragons or carrying a casket but not so much if you're, let's say, writing a children's book, or going to visit your grandma. Unless, of course, your grandma is dying and you want to send her off quicker.

(Nick Horrigan for Blackened Slugs. 01.2012. USA)










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