Mater Tenebrarum

L'Eclat du Déclin is a recent black metal project with progressive rock and some symphonic elements founded by Julien Hovelacque who has been in other BM bands and projects since 1998 and who is a current member of Nuit Macabre. "Mater Tenebrarum" ("The Mother of Darkness" in English, possibly a reference to famous Italian director Dario Argento's horror film trilogy "The Three Mothers" which includes "Suspiria" and "Inferno") was the first release for L'Eclat du Déclin back in 2018 and, fittingly for its title, showcases three tracks.

The overall style is solid dense melodic black metal, reminiscent of death metal in its sound and bulk, including blast beats in parts, and featuring plenty of Gothic drama, even a bit of operatic theatre where it suits. Hovelacque plays all instruments (guitars, keyboards, piano, bass, percussion) and performs all vocals. Tracks sound very full and complex in their structures, changing pace and rhythm, lurching from one melody or riff pattern to another. Vocals are either guttural death-metal growl, thin gravelly black metal croak or even (in the far distances behind the music) clean-toned heroic singing verging on shoutiness. The songs do sound very similar which may be the intention here, given the EP title and the general flow of the music all the way through the EP which becomes more epic and flamboyant from one song to the next. The overall production is good, putting the guitars and percussion at the forefront with prolific keyboard use ranging from frosty-edged synth wash and plaintive piano melodies to full-blown synth-generated juggernaut brassy orchestral accompaniment embellishing (and sometimes overpowering) the essential old-skool blackened death style.

Technically this EP is well done, with all songs demonstrating tight and consistent musicianship skills. It's a very robust effort in laying the foundations of a new act when you consider that one person wrote all the music, played all the instruments and (wheew!) sang all the parts. Future recordings - the project's debut album is due for release in early 2020 - however might need a more individual style with a sharper edge and maybe not quite so much generic-sounding synthesiser / keyboard bombast. The core blackened death metal style could benefit from a sharper, more raw sound. Keeping in mind that the music, however operatic soundtrack it might become on later releases, should be essentially a mix of black / death metal will keep it grounded and focused.