Silhouette are a post-black metal band from France and this is their debut albm.
Les Dires de l’Âme contains 46 minutes of blackened post-metal that takes from the atmospheric and blackgaze styles with skilled ability. It’s an interesting, enjoyable, and well-rounded album that Silhouette have put together.
The promo blurb recommends this for fans of Alcest, Sylvaine, Cult of Luna, Amenra, and Darkher, which should indicate that Les Dires de l’Âme does not contain your average brand of black metal. As we’ll see below, these bands have been well-chosen as reference points for Silhouette’s captivating sound. Les Dires de l’Âme takes strength from atmospheric black metal’s breadth of expression, post-rock’s intimate fragility, post-metal’s weighty presence, and blackgaze’s resplendent depth.
Les Dires de l’Âme takes the listener on an engaging journey into blackened lands that are ripe with beauty and threat. Through harsh aggression, majestic power, and absorbing atmosphere Silhouette lead you through this landscape. Across the album you’ll find delicate moments of graceful colour, classic grim fury, mood-focused ethereal structuring, and a melancholic edge that infuses much of the music deeply.
Silhouette boast two very capable singers. One provides impassioned screams, and his voice borders on the unhinged, but without fully descending into madness – he adds both depressive black metal and post-hardcore tinges to the record. The other vocalist delivers affecting clean singing, and her voice ranges between luscious softness and haunting power. In many ways her vocals are the crowning, defining feature of the album, although that shouldn’t minimise the importance of the rest of the music too much.
Les Dires de l’Âme is an album that demands repeated listens. The songs are well-crafted and provide a worthy experience for lovers of multifaceted atmosphere. Silhouette have created a record with much to offer post-black and blackened post-metal fans.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 