SaintSombre - 2024 - Earth​/​Dust

(47:53; Rotten Tree Productions)

Track list:
1. Reflection 6:46
2. Spectre 6:10
3. Circle 6:05
4. Earth/Dust 7:38
5. Sun 5:50
6. Deliverance 7:56
7. Fall 7:28

Line-up:
Steve R.  - vocals, instruments


French project SaintSombre is the creative vehicle of one Steve R., and with a Facebook presence establish for this venture as far back as in 2014 it would appear that this is a project that have been in development for some time. This fall SaintSombre released its debut album "Earth/Dust"  through the label Rotten Tree Productions, a label I presume belongs to the artist himself.

It is a dark and oppressive landscape we are taken into on this occasion. The songs tend to be repetitive, exploring landscapes of grim and perhaps even bitter desolation as far as mood and atmosphere is concerned. In some regards this is done in a similar manner to bands such as Celtic Frost and Triptykon as far as that aspect of the material is concerned.

Musically we are on a slightly different trajectory however. The guitar riffs are dominating with their rich and fleshed out sound, but also relatively polished in form, sound and execution. Balancing just on the border between being firm and majestic. The rhythm section is a bit more on the static side, possibly programmed rhythms, but in this case this is very much a fitting and appropriate undercurrent that suits these doom-laden and occasionally atmospheric laden landscapes very well indeed. This is due to the electronic components, used as subtle flavoring and careful overlays, but also brought into play for standalone electronic interludes and occasional dark ambient intersections. This both adds and emphasize a little bit of an industrial feel to these landscapes, as well as a stark contrast in sound but also a supplemental feature in terms of the aforementioned mood and atmosphere.

The electronic and industrial aspect of this album did give me some clear associations to the perhaps lesser known Apollyon Sun project from a few decades ago. That the vocals here has a little bit of that grim mode of expression that Thomas Fischer became known for obviously strengthened that association, but some of the electronic sounds themselves struck me as being very close to what Fischer made use of for the one album released by Apollyon Sun way back in the day.

I did make note of a few other impulses along the way too. Some of the guitar details in a track or two did give me instant associations to early days Killing Joke for instance, and a possible little post-punk tinge here and there, and some of the electronic textures in use in a place or two did made me think of early days Gary Numan for instance. Those with a deeper knowledge about bands operating inside of the doom metal and industrial metal traditions that also incorporate some extreme metal tendencies in their output will probably find many other and presumably better associations I'd imagine.

While this is an album that resonates with me on a personal level, this is also a production that I suspect will be one with a more distinct niche appeal. For my sake I'd suggest that those who enjoy Celtic Frost and Triptykon just as much as classic era Ministry might find this album to be an intriguing one, and those among them who enjoy the early phases of Killing Joke and Gary Numan may possibly be the ones with the greatest chance to find this album to be a rewarding experience. Other than that, I'd suggest that those who enjoy music that play upon the mesmerizing conditions of repetitions with subtle adjustments set inside a bleak, grim and oppressive landscape might also want to have a go at this one.

Olav M. Björnsen, November 2024

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/saintsombre