norilsk-lepassagedesglaciers-reviews

Review from Metal Crypt

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 22:33:53 +0100

From: Metal Crypt

Published: February 11, 2018

I'm not big on doom metal and more often than not I skip those promos and leave them to the other reviewers, but this time I noticed that Norilsk was yet another local band, from Gatineau, Quebec (just across the river from here), that has been flying below my radar. I was also interested to hear what doom would sound like in French.

This paid off as this is an album that I've been listening to for a while now and I just can't get tired of it. Just the right length and not outstaying its welcome, there is very little that I would consider "filler" – more like a couple of short passages that I could do without, but not long enough to actually annoy (I wish I could say the same of a few other albums on my current playlist...)

Le passage des glaciers is a very slow and heavy album. Norilsk have done an excellent job of marrying the "weight of the world on your shoulders" crushing feeling that I expect from doom and a very melodic vibe. The result is an aural experience that tears you apart because it's so depressing and beautiful at the same time. The vocals are mostly light death growls that are easily decipherable (if you understand French anyway) along with some whispered passages that I found added a bit of "mystery" (for lack of a better word) to the atmosphere. Ultimately, I find it relaxing and, yes, there are even a few bits that are catchy and get the foot tapping. Here's hoping that Norilsk will be around for a while.

Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by: Michel Renaud

Review from Friedhof Magazine

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 20:15:00 +0100

From: Friedhof Magazine

Published: January 5, 2018

Original Link

Norilsk presentaron su primer álbum, "The Idea of North" en 2015, justo un año después de haber debutado con el EP "Japetus". Este año han vuelto con "Le Passage des Glaciers", y he de admitir que tanto el título de este último trabajo como el nombre que eligieron para el grupo (Norilsk es una ciudad rusa, ubicada concretamente en Siberia) les vienen a las mil maravillas. El sonido de este grupo de Death/Doom (aunque también con ciertos toques Dark, bastante lúgubres) no puede ser más frío y desolador. Al contrario que algunas otras grabaciones dentro de este mismo estilo musical, "Le passage des Glaciers" narra una historia en la que no faltan variaciones de cadencia y melodías a lo largo de sus 45 minutos de duración.

“Midnight Sun” abre el disco, una introducción que nos envuelve en lo que será la atmósfera del resto del trabajo. El siguiente tema, “Les puitss de l’oubli”, combina pasajes duros, de gran intensidad, con otros más melódicos, en los que el ritmo se acelera ligeramente. La melodicidad de la intro en “Namolennye” es algo que podría calificar casi como “delicada”. Sin embargo, durante casi 9 minutos, las melodías minimalistas de este tema se mezclan con guitarras deathmetaleras, alternando unas con otras. Cabe destacar, además, la buena complementación de los growls toscos con los instrumentos. “La voie des morts” es, probablemente, la canción que más destacaría de todo el álbum. Las voces son oscuras y muy ásperas, y al igual que las guitarras y sus intensos riffs, nos acercan bastante al Black Metal, y crean un contraste perfecto con la melodía final que cierra el tema.

Podemos escuchar un ritmo algo más complejo en “Ghosts of Love”, además de melodías distorsionadas y que complementan bien las voces tan duras. De “Noirceur Intériure” subrayaría, sobre todo, las poderosas guitarras y riffs pegadizos que, junto a un ritmo sencillo, van a la perfección con la melodía. El comienzo de “L’érosion” es una melodía lenta y lógobre acompañada de voces susurradas que, sin embargo, se transforman en Black Metal en cuanto aumenta la intensidad del tema. Se alternan pasajes melódicos con otros más heavies en los que la cadencia, a pesar de tener ciertas variaciones, se mantiene casi siempre estable. “Ellesmere” es el epílogo del trabajo. Un ritmo sosegado aderezado con voces susurradas y melodías frías que languidecen hasta consumirse en la taiga.

Review from Vampster

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 22:33:15 +0100

From: Vampster

Published: January 1, 2018

Original Link

Als wäre es in ihrer kanadischen Heimat (gerade) nicht kalt genug, so haben sich NORILSK nach der nördlichsten Großstadt der Welt benannt. Und der Darkened Death-Doom Metal versucht ebendiese kalte Trostlosigkeit der russischen Industriestadt zu vermitteln. Passend dazu der kühle Titel des aktuellen Albums: „Le passage des glaciers“. Doch das zweite Album des kanadischen Duos überrascht, als dass die Melodie keineswegs zu kurz kommt. Dem nicht genug, schleichen sich auch gerne Tonabfolgen ein, die aufgrund ihrer Anordnung Hoffnung verbreiten.

NORILSK nehmen Anleihen bei Doom-Death-Größen

NORILSK nehmen in ihren Kompositionen Anleihen bei Genre prägenden Bands wie jeweils frühen MY DYING BRIDE, PARADISE LOST oder NOVEMBERS DOOM. Hinzu kommt die – nur aufgrund des Bandnamens – russische Färbung, als dass man immer wieder versucht ist, eine Band aus dem Solitude Productions-Roster vor sich zu haben. Doch falsch gedacht: „Le passage des glaciers“ wird vom kanadischen Label Hypnotic Dirge Records vertrieben, das sich ebenso einen Namen in Sachen Doom-Death Metal gemacht hat.

Mischung aus Trostlosigkeit und Hoffnung

Apropos Namen: mit Pim Blankenstein (OFFICIUM TRISTE) wurde der Gesang in „Ghosts of Loss“ aufgefettet. Aber auch sonst funktionieren die Vocals sehr gut. Nic Miquelon setzt seine Stimme großteils als tiefe Growls ein, zeigt aber durchaus Variantenreichtum, wenn etwa leichte Scream-Ansätze oder Spoken Words zu vernehmen sind. Wie bei der Musik ist es auch hier die Mischung aus Trostlosigkeit und Hoffnung, die NORILSK den speziellen Touch verleiht. Stark in dieser Hinsicht ist „Namolennye“.

„Le passage des glaciers“ wirkt gut ausbalanciert

Generell fühlt sich „Le passage des glaciers“ sehr ausbalanciert an. Die Songs haben oft die richtige Dynamik (für Doom-Death Metal) und setzen auch manches Gitarren-Solo ein. Weiterhin schaffen es NORILSK, den Hörer auf ihrer Reise mitzunehmen, als dass Tracks wie „La voie des morts“ oder das etwas Sludge-lastigere „Le puits de l´oubli“ einfach gut aufgebaut sind. Somit ein feiner kanadischer Release.

Reviewed by: Christian Wogerbauer

Review from No Clean Singing

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 00:12:28 +0100

From: No Clean Singing

Published: December 19, 2017

Original Link

NCS published the interview with Norilsk’s main man Nicolas Miquelon about two years ago, when the duo (its second half being Nick Richer, drums, backing vocals) appeared with the first full-length The Idea Of North.

This band is located in Québec but was named after a Russian city placed in Northern Siberia and known for its heavy industry and hostile environment. Such a name suits the band well, for they tend toward heavy distorted and frosty death-doom metal.

Nicolas Miquelon and Nick Richer returned in November 2017 with a new album, Le Passage Des Glaciers, and this material is the best illustration of a slow, horrible death somewhere on desolated cold plains (as you can see on the artwork).

Norilsk have created a complex piece of art; they paid a lot of attention to details; and thus even minor components like the bleak interlude “Ellesmere” or “Midnight Sun” really count, as they enrich the dark palette of this work. The songs keep a similar atmosphere to The Idea of North, but with more complex, better-produced, and more melodic moments. The band took time for these arrangements, and the gents were more focused on compositions that have lifted Norilsk to a higher level.

Each song leads the listener through different stages of metaphorical death, and I wonder if rebirth waits in the end. Dynamic and heavy, “Ghosts Of Loss” brings cold and biting Siberian frost on the edges of sharp distorted guitars parts. “L’Erosion” has picturesque melodic sections which well-describel the vast realms of white dead fields.

If you search for something more extreme, then check out “La Voie Des Morts”, as this mournful and menacing track partly connects with the black metal scene; the harsh vocals also remind us of blizzards and ravenous cold winds (Nicolas relies on layers of thin guitar sound, a bit of reverb on his guitar and shrieking vocals). And I would pick “Namolennye” as a central composition of Le Passage Des Glaciers, conveying the best of Norilsk’s authentic spirit.

And by the way, Nicolas still writes his lyrics in French, a much appreciated feature.

Reviewed by: Comrade Aleks

Review from The Metal Observer

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 13:46:47 +0100

From: The Metal Observer

Published: December 12, 2017

Original Link

Canada’s Norilsk were formed in 2012, naming themselves after Siberia’s northernmost city, which a quick Google search reveals to be one of the most polluted cities in the world. The band’s promotional material tells us that Norilsk is home to a famous heavy metal smelting complex, which may go some way to explain the choice of moniker. The band consists of two members, Nic Miquelon and Nick Richer and they play Doom/Death, citing their inspiration as the likes of Paradise Lost, early Anathema, Celtic Frost, Morgion and others. The most noticeable of those would have to be Morgion, due to the ponderous nature of much of the music on Norilsk’s second album Le Passage Des Glaciers.

Miquelon and Richer clearly understand how to produce big, imposing Doom/Death music as demonstrated by the dense sound they create. There are also good moments scattered throughout Le Passage Des Glaciers. The problems start when assessing entire songs. Despite several plays through, there are no tracks here that entice further listening and most are more of a chore than a pleasure.

One part of Norilsk’s music that may separate Doom/Death fans is the use of whispering. This may seem like a trivial matter, but given that it is deployed on a number of tracks and that I personally found it extremely grating, it could have the potential to switch off other listeners as well. For example, the slow rhythm section and whispering in opening track “Midnight Sun” is simply boring. A simple yet effective guitar riff later in the track is an enormous improvement, but it ends all too quickly and is a case of too little, too late. The whispers come out again in “Namolennye” accompanied by minimal music, but elsewhere it is one of the better tracks on offer, with some great, powerful lead guitar and excellent rhythm work. The song doesn’t quite hit the mark though, as it’s quite disjointed and is dragged down by the duller passages. “L’Érosion (Passage Pt. II)” suffers the same fate and the brilliant, uplifting guitars at the end of the track just aren’t enough to recue it. Album closer “Ellesmere” is whispering with barely any music at all and demands to be skipped.

It’s certainly not all band and along with the outstanding sections of songs already mentioned, there are a couple of worthy tracks as well. “Le Puits De L’Oubli” is powerful Doom/Death, with varied pace and riffs and is pretty good. “Noirceur Intérieure” is probably the standout song, with really catchy, memorable riffs, some excellent guitar leads and Miquelon’s harsh bellows round things off nicely.

Le Passage Des Glaciers is competent Doom/Death with some great moments, but others that are bordering on the tedious. By no means awful, but not one of the stronger releases from the genre in 2017.

Reviewed by: James Bushnell

Review from The Sound Not the Word

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 01:56:49 +0100

From: The Sound Not The Word

Published: December 10, 2017

Original Link

Rooted in the death-doom sounds of old, the music of Norilsk is that of cold spirits and desolate nights. Though not a concept album per se, Le Passage des Glaciers none-the-less feels as if it is telling a story of mourning and loss through its unfolding soundscapes. This is a journey in to the depths of winter, where the snow soon covers any traces that you ever dared ventured in to these realms. As emotionally crushing as it is musically, this is a difficult journey, but one that has much to recommend about it.

Whilst many practitioners of death-doom understand the importance of heaviness in being successful, a smaller number seem to grasp how vital a sense of melody is to ensuring that the listener stays engaged over the course of an album. That’s a lesson that Norilsk quickly demonstrate that they have learnt, with first track proper (after opener ‘Midnight Sun’), ‘Le puits de l’oubli’ as notable for its cold, emotionally charged melodies as it is the crushing riffs and powerful vocals. Likewise, there is a deftness to the drums at key moments that many bands should take note of; knowing when to ease off is as important as knowing when to batter the listener in to submission, and this songwriting intelligence is present throughout Le Passage des Glaciers.

It’s really remarkable how well Norilsk combine these different elements together, but it’s also notable that they do so in such individual style. For sure, the DNA of their inspirations can be found threaded through Le Passage des Glaciers – with early Paradise Lost and Katatonia being most prevalent, and the emotional heft of ‘Namolennye’, and the closing guitar solo during ‘Noirceur interieure’, is similar to that summoned by Pallbearer – but over the course of the album, Norilsk manage to take these inspirations and forge something singular, that could not be mistaken for any of these bands. The addition of blackened doom elements on some tracks, such as ‘La voie des morts’, also helps with this, adding an extra dimension to a record that is already rich in character and sound.

It should be noted though, that Le Passage des Glaciers is very much an album that is best served by giving it your undivided attention. Whilst it may not be a concept album in terms of a running narrative, there is still a sense of growth and story-telling that unfurls over the course of the album, meaning that treating a track in isolation will rob it of much of its power. This is an album in the classic sense, where the running order is as important as the actual music itself, and where it is at its best and most rewarding when given the time and space it deserves. At just under 45 minutes in length it may not ask much, but such is its emotional and musical power that it feels much longer than this, and by the end of the album, a sense of emotional exhaustion may set in; but also one of catharsis, of negativity faced and conquered, of an untamed and hostile land not only survived, but mastered. It may require a listen or two to get the most out of, but no journey worth undertaking was ever done so quickly.

All of which makes Le Passage des Glaciers feel like an album perfectly suited to these cold, winter nights; something to spend quality time with as the nights draw in, with the outside world rendered an after-thought as you lose yourself within the ice-cold wilderness on display here. Intelligent, emotionally charged, and highly rewarding, Le Passage des Glaciers is simply wonderful.

Le Passage des Glaciers is available digitally via Bandcamp, and on CD through the Hypnotic Dirge webstore.

Review from Ave Noctum

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:10:22 +0100

From: Ave Noctum

Published: December 4, 2017

Original Link

French Canadian Duo Norilsk have followed 2015’s “The Idea of North” with 8 slabs of doom death by the name of “Le Passage des Glaciers” Norilsk is the most northern city in Siberia and allegedly home to a heavy metal smelting plant. That gives you an idea of the sound these guys set out to create.

Think early Paradise Lost or Anathema. Guttural French vocals over crystal clear guitars and heavy as merde bass riffs. Into “Midnight Suns” pulls the listener in like an icy swamp before first song proper “Le puits de l’oubli” (The well of Oblivion). This is a plodder not a fighter. Part way through there is a guitar solo that sounds like a ZX spectrum game loading up. Gah make it stop! Luckily it does and the remainder is a pleasant dark slab of melancholy.

“Namolennya” puts the brakes on even further and drops the morose levels by a hefty chunk as a sombre serving of funeral doom oozes from my speakers. Just as I begin to slow nod into oblivion it takes a sudden lurch and returns from flat lining to a mid-paced rocker.

The slothful pace of its predecessor makes “La voie des morts” sound like a punk number. In fact there are elements of Siouxsie and the Banshees here along with PL featuring as it does a great gothic bassline and a dramatic guitar ring out.

The Goth is dialled up further on “Ghost of Loss (Passage pt I) with clean spoken English parts alongside big macabre riffs that swoop like a caped figure down a stone staircase. There is a fullness to the sound here. A lot is going on but Norilsk avoid a sonic jumble and create a powerful sense of atmosphere. The band return to their native Quebecois with “Noircur Interieure” which has a great groove spoiled slightly by another grating guitar solo which sounds slightly off key and threw me off kilter.

“L’erosion (passage pt II) lopes in on leaden feet like a Golem and just like the Jewish legend it carries me away. Willingly I go lifted high by its lumbering riffs and gothic melody.

“Ellesmere” is a poetic outro that suits an album of this type. The passage of glaciers is certainly a cold and daunting one. It is easy to get lost sometimes in its arctic paths but there is plenty to experience in the clear blue briny permafrost to keep me returning.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewed by: Matt Mason

From: Ave Noctum

Published: December 4, 2017

Original Link

“L’erosion (passage pt II) lopes in on leaden feet like a Golem and just like the Jewish legend it carries me away. Willingly I go lifted high by its lumbering riffs and gothic melody.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewed by: Matt Mason

Review from Itdjents

Sat, 02 Dec 2017 00:58:25 +0100

From: Itdjents

Published: November 26, 2017

Original Link

December is nearly upon us, and how the year has flown by. Looking back, one is bound to notice what a fantastic year 2017 has been for doom metal and its offshoot sub-genres. From the psychedelia of Elder over Bell Witch’s haunting masterpiece Mirror Reaper to the crushing heaviness of Spectral Voice, this year has indeed seen many truly outstanding doom albums; and now, we can add Le Passage des Glaciers by Norilsk to the list.

Le Passage des Glaciers is the sophomore album by the Canadian-French duo Norilsk, who return after a gap of two years; their beautiful debut The Idea of North came out in 2015. With the name Norilsk being derived from a city in the Siberian region of Russia, the band’s music does justice to the album’s title, as it presents a gloomy, desolate and cold landscape over the eight songs. Sticking to the old-school formula of atmospheric death-doom metal, and taking inspiration from legends such as My Dying Bride and early Katatonia, Norilsk build their own footing by good pacing and variation throughout the album, which makes the 45-minute runtime of the album pass quickly.

What is evident about Le Passage des Glaciers right off the bat is that the band has abandonded the harsher, sludgier side of their music found on The Idea of North in favor of a more melodic song structure. “Le puits de l’oubli” captivates the listener early on, as the track takes one through a perfect amalgamation of heavy, chaotic moments and slower melodic interludes. These transitions never come across as forced or awkward, as the musicianship of Nic Miquelon and Nick Richer truly shines in such moments. “Namolennye” feels like a page from the iconic Turn Loose the Swans that was long forgotten, Miquelon’s work on the bass shining particularly bright throughout the track.

With the lyrics being in French, the lyrical themes remain mysteriously shrouded (at least for many). But midway through the album, the upbeat track “Ghost of Loss (Passage pt. I)” quickly catches one’s attention with its grieving lyrics. The deep, rumbling guest vocals of Pim Blankestein (of Officium Triste) provide a new edge to Le Passage…, as the quickened pace helps in becoming truly engrossed with the album, even if it’s at the most subconscious level. When “L’érosion (Passage pt. II)” sees the band dabble with minimalistic touches of post-rock sounds, their core essence nevertheless retains the atmospheric doom flavor. The subtle outro in “Ellesmere” brings an amazing balance, as the vocals fade before each instrument comes to a slow, tepid halt.

To summarise it all, Le Passage des Glaciers is a tribute to the cold dry lands of the north. Yes, the glaciers are melting, and the temperatures are soaring, but deep in the landlocked barren lands Norilsk have managed to carve out a sonic beauty that reveals its subtle nuances when the listeners are drawn in. Moreover, praise must go to Mike Bond, as the mixing and mastering on Le Passage des Glaciers truly allows the duo behind Norilsk to shine. Despite the clean, modern production, the music retains its roughness and raw charm.

Rating: 8/10

Reviewed by: Vidur Paliwal

Review from Exclaim!

Sat, 02 Dec 2017 00:53:43 +0100

From: Exclaim!

Published: November 24, 2017

Original Link

French-Canadian purveyors of grief and suffering, Norilsk, return with their latest offering Le passage des glaciers. The album finds the band continuing its cacophonous doom and death metal while introducing elements of black metal and folk music.

The album is a dirge from the start; opening with "Midnight Sun," Norilsk sets the stage for a classic wintery doom record. Unlike doom bands who rely on feedback to get their message across, Norilsk employ a ton of variety. Balance is the band's greatest asset, as demonstrated on "Namolennye," an acoustic track that quickly evolves into a black metal frenzy, cleverly combining a plethora of metal sub-genres.

While the album gets a little weighed down in the middle with mid-tempo black metal, Norilsk pack in a few gems at the end. "L'érosion (Passage pt. II)," for example, is a solid highlight showcasing folk-infused doom metal like Neurosis's present sound. It would be interesting to see the band further expand on these ideas in future releases.

That said, Le passage des glaciers is a well-crafted and thoughtfully composed doom and death metal record. The band have further refined their sound in a way that feels effortless and honest, all while hinting at future possibilities.

Rating: 7/10

Reviewed by: Mark Tremblay

Review from Echoes and Dust

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 19:53:53 +0100

From: Echoes and Dust

Published: November 20, 2017

Original Link

Ethnomusicologists have frequently read the significance of place onto various traditions. I’m still not sure about the ethics of that; I think it’s a bit of a reductive move at the very least. But, if we follow R. Murray Schafer, who hails from Canada like Norilsk and who has written several books on acoustic ecology which are must-reads for fans of outré music, we can understand certain works of music as engaging in a relationship with nature, a relationship that is both mimetic and complementary. Le Passage des Glaciers is one of those pieces.

The tracks are spell-binding. They tumble down the glacier like a moraine, but they also instantiate that flow – the opening riff tells you exactly what you are in for. When one thinks of glaciers, one thinks of hunks of ice. But this ice is alive, crackling with life, like the wiry guitar-driven opening to ‘Namolennye’. This is death metal played low, slow, and with an eye towards drone. And it’s all done in a profoundly natural way, with very few shiny baubles and tricks – which makes it all the more impressive that this album never sags. The musicians in Norilsk seem to have perfected the art of knowing when to make subtle changes in the music to avoid any moments of distraction.

Of course, the glaciers are disappearing. Reading the title of the album, one can see a few meanings in “passage”. The obvious interpretation is the passage of the glaciers through space. But there is also the passage of glaciers through time, and in this historical moment, the glaciers are facing great precarity. The two tracks which are labeled as parts of the passage, ‘Ghosts of Loss’ and ‘L’érosion’, bear titles that speak to this meaning. Glaciers will never truly be forgotten, though they might disappear; even if mankind manages to destroy itself, the beautiful scars of the Earth will bear witness to their existence. Their trace, in other words, will remain, ghostly and ethereal, two adjectives that apply equally well to this album.

This is music for the haunted place, the celebration of nature, in all its contemporary insecurity and all its past destructive beauty.

Review by: James Kopf