Aluk Todolo (French avant-psych-metal)
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Topic: Aluk Todolo (French avant-psych-metal)
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Subject: Aluk Todolo (French avant-psych-metal)
Date Posted: October 05 2014 at 14:20
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This oddly-named French group seems to have fallen through the cracks as
the "post-black metal" movement has (with the apparent exceptions of Blut Aus Nord and Virus) gone out of fashion, which is understandable but something of a shame as AT
are in my opinion one of the most interesting - and satisfying new
groups to come out of that overall milieu. (which I to be honest find
rather hit-and-miss) The mysterious sigil that's my current avatar is in
fact their symbol. What differentiates Aluk Todolo from so many other recent hard-to-classify music groups drawing upon black metal is that instead of using more "art music"-oriented styles to make the BM more cerebral, they're instead playing something derived stylistically from more "highbrow" genres of music but with a raw malevolent black metal attitude. The AT signature sound is a melange of 1970s progressive/psychedelic rock, 1980s goth-punk and 1990s post-rock but from a black metal music background with that ideological ethos being the concept holding the disparate influences all together. I know that the description makes them sound like some kind of Frankish pendant to Virus or perhaps that group's predecessors Ved Buens Ende, but they sound nothing alike: Whereas VBE/Virus are unusally Modernist for a black metal group in their approach, Aluk Todolo still belong to the Romanticist end of the spectrum; likewise where Virus are still song-oriented in their composition, AT are completely instrumental with lengthy "slow burn" compositions building up layered soundscapes over more linear forwards-progressing narrative structures driven by dark and sparse bass rhythms. Closest point of comparison would in fact probably be Russian Circles' heaviest songs, but Aluk Todolo frequently sound extremely sinister and deranged in a way I've never heard RC even attempt... not to mention that their songwriting is much more ambitious. Individual tracks frequently reach the 14-minute mark, and the one album I've heard of theirs in its entirety is a double-CD meant to be listened in one continuous session. Some sample tracks: I'm guessing they're too psychedelic for most black metallers yet too metallic and abrasive for most psychheads? A similar fate might have befallen Flemish weirdoes Lugubrum whom they've toured with. Could also be that their self-categorization of "occult rock" is used more to describe bands like Blue Öyster Cult and Coven, as well as their modern day imitators like Blood Ceremony and Ghost, when Aluk Todolo are much more modern. (as opposed to Modern) In any case I think they deserve a much bigger audience, at least as big one as Blut Aus Nord and Virus - certainly a bigger one than Alcest or Deafheaven. (disclaimer: I don't really "get" shoegaze in the first place and hence have no interest in seeing it fused with black metal) ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Replies:
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: October 05 2014 at 18:48
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I have their debut and while I like it the drumming is pretty damn terrible, and for me ruins what could be a decent album.
Occult Rock seems to fix this as it all fits together quite well there. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 06 2014 at 10:11
| I like em so much i wanna hump their legs |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: October 06 2014 at 13:35
I'm not that familiar with their oeuvre outside that album, so thanks for the warning! I imagine that might be an issue for quite a few musicians from underground black metal circles seeking to branch out into more "highbrow" music, since no-fi production and rather low levels of musicianship is often the norm there. (sometimes as a deliberate "anti-taste" aesthetic) After all, Aluk Todolo's from the same French black metal scene that inflicted the http://blackmetallurgy.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/les-legions-noires-the-french-black-metal-underground/" rel="nofollow - Les Légions Noires sect upon the world. Not to mention the facepalmingly prolific noisemonger Zarach "Baal" Tharagh. ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Man With Hat wrote:Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 06 2014 at 22:32
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I have read similar things that Occult Rock is the best album. It is thus far the only one i've heard. It does seem to veer into unrelated arenas where only the most eclectic freaks dare to go. Eventually i think they will catch on but if they are still together when that happens is anybody's guess |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: October 09 2014 at 12:54
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I'm actually not sure what they're doing right now, their relative secrecy does not help. Tends to be a hallmark of French black metal types, from the Les Légions Noires sect's almost Freemason-like self-imposed obscurity to Blut Aus Nord and Deathspell Omega refusing to provide any readily available visual identification. According to http://www.amortout.com/aluktodolo/menu-pics.htm" rel="nofollow - their official website AT haven't made any new records since Occult Rock but they are still touring and performing live. ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 09 2014 at 22:13
| Cool site. At least they allow themselves to be photographed. Funny that they are listed here as Krautrock. I would peg them as experimental metal |
Posted By: Toaster Mantis
Date Posted: October 11 2014 at 05:52
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I'm not sure how to classify them either. Like I say, a good deal of
"post-black metal" is difficult to recognize as its supposed parent
genre. Usually it sounds like black metal but doesn't really feel like
it, for instance I didn't understand Blut Aus Nord's more experimental records until I listened to them the same way I would Coil or Throbbing Gristle instead of like the same band's more conventional BM output. With Aluk Todolo, its the opposite. It sounds like noisy vaguely gothic psychedelia but it feels like black metal. ------------- "The past is not some static being, it is not a previous present, nor a present that has passed away; the past has its own dynamic being which is constantly renewed and renewing." - Claire Colebrook |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: October 15 2014 at 17:11
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I really dig these guys. i have Finsternis and play it occasionally if I want to frighten my upstairs neighbour. The new one Occult Rock though is far better imo. The more rhythmic feel along with the, at times, quite surfer-like guitars suit them better. Been meaning to review it, but time is a slippery fellow. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Cookie13
Date Posted: March 11 2016 at 13:40
http://pixvenue.com/showimage/AlukTodolo_8588007_21061687.jpg" rel="nofollow"> The new album Voix is out now. ------------- "Clipside of the pinkeye flight I'm not the percent you think survives I need sanctuary in the pages of this book." Son Et Lumiere - The Mars Volta |
Posted By: Mascodagama
Date Posted: March 11 2016 at 14:49
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Love these guys. Occult Rock is one of the milestone releases of the last few years for me. Don't have the new one yet but off the back of an online listen, not a great leap forward like OR was, but really excellent work nevertheless. |