The Parisian duo Dernier Souffle — a name that, for the record, has nothing to do with the airy dessert, but rather means Last Breath — is composed of Nicolas Bontemps on vocals and the enigmatic Alastor, who handles all instrumentation and composition.
Their first strike was the Cursed Lair Demo in 2023, which immediately made a dark impression within the underground black metal scene. Now they return with a more fully realized release: the EP Abyss. Clocking in at nearly thirty minutes, this journey into the depths of the human psyche and beyond offers an intense and captivating piece of Atmospheric Black Metal.
What defines Abyss is the desolate, at times suffocating atmosphere that gradually wraps itself around the listener. The production is raw, yet clear enough to preserve the layered nature of the material. The riffs are razor-sharp and steeped in melancholy, shifting from icy tremolo-picked assaults to more drawn-out, almost post-metal-like sections. The temposshift subtly but effectively: from blast beat-driven fury to slower, brooding passages that give the looming dread more space to breathe.
Nicolas’ vocals are a key element here: his screams sound as if they’re dragged from the depths of a tormented soul — raw, emotional, and delivered with a sense of urgency that fits the musical backdrop perfectly. His voice seems tailor-made for this kind of sound — painfully sincere, yet demonically distorted.
Abyss is far from easy listening. It’s a pitch-black, multi-layered EP that only reveals its full depth after repeated plays. But for those willing to surrender to the darkness, there’s much to discover — from captivating melodies to subtle details that elevate the compositions beyond the ordinary.
With this release, Dernier Souffle proves that their demo was no fluke. They have a clear vision and seem to be carving out a space in a niche where melancholy, rage, and emptiness go hand in hand. Abyss is both a promise and a statement — this duo is far from breathing their last.
80/100
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