-273,15° Celsius. Or 0°K. That’s Absolute Zero. Or Zéro Absolu. The latter is also the name for one of the most exciting new Black Metal projects from France and in some ways it truly is a fitting title for the projects, as Absolute Zero is only possible on a theoretical basis, but not in reality, as there will always be a tiny divergence from it in kinetic energy. The same can be said about Zéro Absolu – the band comes close to 100% darkness but there are always some tiny silver rays on the (musical) horizon. Nevertheless, this is one hell of an Atmospheric Black Metal debut!
How does one talk about a record that has only two songs, basically only consists of A-side and B-side? Well, it might be the best idea to talk about each song as the composition it is, as the songs are 20:26 minutes long (the opening title track) and 13:22, the B-side, ”Le Temps Détruit Tout”. Yes, we get more nearly 34 minutes in two compositions – but even more important: As the band members are all skilled and experienced musicians with their roots firmly in the French Black Metal scene of the early Aughts these 34 minutes never become boring in any sense.
Both tracks carry a somewhat pessimistic perception in themselves which is due to the band history, as a former member of the band illegally registered the former project name Glaciation under his own name even though he had to leave the band before that thus making it impossible for the remaining members to pursuit this project under the same moniker. Hence, Zéro Absolu was born. Name from a similar cold area as Glaciation, the band also has a somewhat parallel idea of what Black Metal should be like. It is not the flat-trodden paths of Blastbeat after Blastbeat, combining Black Metal and Death Metal, but rather a very, let’s say, Cascadian idea, yes, Cascadian as in Wolves in the Throne Room. Nevertheless, this French outfit, consisting of the three earliest members of Glaciation plus members of Alcest and Regardez les Hommes Tomber, also incorporates other elements, from somewhat hollowed out AOR solos as in the second track, synth elements in both, but also multiple passages that seem to be rooted in the Ambient Black Metal idea prominent in many The Flenser bands like Have a Nice Life (yes!) or the folksy side of Panopticon.
The tracks vocals are based on their experience with human interaction which means, that they are dark AF and it seems that their notion of the Absolute Zero is a reaction to what happened to them in their earlier incarnation/life as Glaciation. They are singing (yes, singing, not always shrieking or screaming, but oftentimes harsh singing!) about what a shitty side the music industries can have. How enemies tried to break them apart and forge away the band into oblivion. No wonder, that the tracks translate into ”The Bloodletting” (the title track) and ”Time destroys Everything” - but maybe even time cannot heal every wound. There is a pretty fitting line by my favorite Hardcore band of all time, that says ”All the worst of enemies / are somehow always / friends that used to be” (”My Life in the Knife Trade”.
However, they are back and this is their pamphlet, One of utter musical beauty in many moments, of shared vocal harmonies, highly melodic passages, some well-punctuated eruptions and many dense atmospheric ideas. With regard to the former band member who tried to screw them, I hope that one day they will arrive at another quote from aforementioned HC band: ”I haven’t grown to hate you / I’ve just grown to forget you” (“The Abominations of those Virtuous”). But if they need this rage and anger inside of them in order to create music this enthralling and amazing, then please continue to hate! Even if you will never practically reach -273,15°C.
For anybody who wants to know what the edited version of the title track sounds like, here is the video for it:
