Amesoeurs - "Amesoeurs" [2009]

Artist: Amesoeurs
Title: Amesoeurs
Label: Code 666 / Profound Lore
Genre: Depressive Black Metal / Post-Rock / Gothic Rock
Country: France
Release date: 2009

Track list:

1. Gas in Veins
2. Les Ruches Malades
3. Heurt
4. Recueillement
5. Faux Semblants
6. I XIII V XIX XV V XXI XVIII XIX – IX XIX – IV V I IV
7. Trouble (Éveils Infâmes)
8. Video Girl
9. La Reine Trayeuse
10. Amesoeurs
11. Au Crépuscule de Nos Rêves

Lineup:
Neige: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Audrey: Vocals, Piano
Fursy: Guitar, Bass
Winterhalter: Drums
Recorded in Klangsmiede Studio E during Winter 2008-2009 By Markus Stock.
"We, amesoeurs, are the children of this sad and metallic century; receptors capturing the aggressive and unhealthy waves of the industrial era. We have always been equally disgusted and fascinated by everything relating to cities and urban lifestyle, that is to say the endless rows of grey and threatening buildings, the throng of souls that they accomodate, the perpetual motion, the danger, the winding alleyways, the smoky and dubious bars, old graffitis, train stations, casinos and other hostile gaming rooms, the freezing neon lights, nightlife, technology, futuristic buildings, sex, depravation, poverty, anxiety, filth, the suffocating smells of pollution combined with sweat, shit and piss.
Human beings have been perverted, swallowed up by urban lifestyle, they have sold their souls cheap. We live in a hell made of metal and concrete where frightened men get lost and merge into one another like the insects of a gigantic hive. Shadows amongst shadows, they more or less carry out their shitty jobs and then drown their issues and sorrow in intoxication. Television, booze, cigs, and constrained laughs are the ways to forget... The number of degenerates and depressives is increasing each day, narcotics are the latest fashion candies, streets are swarming with junkies and repulsive hobos, AIDS has infiltrated syringes left on public benches. It flows along with drugs, sperm and tears into the veins of the Metropolis.
We are neither intellectuals nor politicians and don't have any message to pass on. We just want to FEEL, contemplate and ECHO the sound that the modern world and its absurdities have inspired us with. Amesoeurs is a spit, the only way we have to spew out the anxiety and frustration tied to the difficulties of existence and the pursuit of happiness in our modern society" - from band's myspace.

This release gave Amesoeurs a great popularity, but unfortunately the band had split up shortly after. The mastermind of the project was Neige (you may know him as a member of Alcest, Mortifera, Forgotten Woods and several other bands, and as a former member of Peste Noire). The vocals are mostly female, done by Audrey.

While having certain influences of black metal, overall it's definitely not BM, and more close to gothic/post-rock with an overwhelmingly melancholic atmosphere. The sound is very "cinematic" and suitable for a soundtrack to any "technoir" movie. Have you seen the animated movie called "Renaissance", for example? It's French too, done in black and white (just like the cover of this album), and uses the dystopian industrial/cyberpunk aesthetics. I like such kind of aesthetics a lot, and I'm thinking of making an AMV using the music by Amesoeurs and video samples from "Renaissance" ;)

Finally, I should make a conclusion that this mix of French pop, gothic rock, shoegaze and black metal has fairly deserved it's popularity. Sadly there wouldn't be any more albums, but we still can enjoy this one. Just like in case of I Shalt Become, I wouldn't place a download link here, but you can search it for yourself.