Album Review: Abduction – Jehanne (Finisterian Dead End)

Influenced by artists like Dissection and Primordial, French black-metal group Abduction was formed in 2006 and soon set out to pay tribute to the history and the majestic landscapes of their country through an intense and melancholic black-metal sound.

In 2016, the group comprised by Guillaume Fleury (guitars), François Blanc (vocals), Mathieu Taverne (bass) and Morgan Velly (drums), released their first album “Une Ombre régit les Ombres”, which garnered extremely positive reactions from the underground scene.

Two years later, the four plague doctors returned with their second album, “A l’Heure du Crépuscule”, which was once again produced by Déhà and was also met with great critical acclaim.

Now with a virus outbreak plaguing the world, the French plague doctors Abduction are ready to lift the veil on their third opus “Jehanne”. The black metallers first concept-album, based on the life of Joan Of Arc (ca 1412 -1431) – one of the most fascinating figures in French rich history – will be released on April 29th via Finisterian Dead End Metal Label, as a remembrance of the day in which Joan entered the besieged city of Orléans in 1429.

This is one of those albums where no matter how vividly we try to describe it to you, we’ll never be able to do it justice. Instead, it’s an album we urge you to go out and listen to now, just so you can experience the black metal sensation that is Abduction yourself.

To say this is an incredibly dark, morose, intense and detailed black metal album is only to scratch the surface of what it offers. As ruthless as it is beautiful, Aux Loges Les Dames opening soft melody gives way to an overwhelming show of speeding metal, an epic tome of heaviness that drifts between two contrasting but perfectly displayed styles.

That pales in comparison to Par Ce Coeur Les Lys Fleurissent though. A 12 minute illustration of just how furiously Abduction can play while layering their efforts with darkly melancholic moments. Here, the two complementary vocal styles work even better. One utterly savage and the other clean and authoritative, like a choir of voices portraying a battle between good and evil.

Delivering on their concept to consistently impressive results, La Chevauchée De La Loire and Dieu En Soit Garde tell Joan of Arc’s tale in a way that everyone can relate too. The former’s epic sense of journey and the latter’s religious inclinations. Something that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise seeing as the figure portrayed in Jehanne is so tied into Christianity.

As brilliant as everything heard so far, we then get Foi En Ses Murs Jusqu’Aux Rats’ forlorn guitar melody/eruption of epic metal and Battue Par Les Flots Jamais Ne Sombre’s folkish twangs blended with Abduction’s magnificent black metal heaviness to enjoy. The latter is such a transcendent piece of music.

Talking of which…

Très Fidèle Au Roi Et Au Trône with its initial soft singing, light guitar work and a subtle drum beat is audaciously relaxed. It makes the flare-up of ferocity all the more intense and remarkable.

Finally, one of 2020’s best releases and the incredible tale that Abduction has told comes to an end. Dripping in atmosphere, Aux Marches De Lorraine doesn’t mess about with the formula. Emotive melody, a blistering expulsion of black metal noise and a grandness that makes this experience near indescribable.

Unmissable.

Abduction – Jehanne Full Track Listing:

1. Aux Loges Les Dames
2. Par Ce Coeur Les Lys Fleurissent
3. La Chevauchée De La Loire
4. Dieu En Soit Garde
5. Foi En Ses Murs Jusqu’Aux Rats
6. Battue Par Les Flots Jamais Ne Sombre
7. Très Fidèle Au Roi Et Au Trône
8. Aux Marches De Lorraine

Links

Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Finisterian Dead End