Boréalys "Là où les eaux se séparent" CD Digipack

The first EP "Là où les Eaux se Séparent" of the Atmospheric Black Metal Band Boréalys on Digipack 3 panels limited to 500 copies !
Release by Non Posse Mori Records and Acid Vicious, catalog

Originally released as a digital single in October 2020, "Là où les eaux se séparent" expanded into an EP of the same name a couple of months later. Doing things bit by bigger bit and building up ideas, a musical identity and long-term ambitions are the way to go for Quebecois atmospheric BM trio Boréalys. The EP may be very modest by EP standards: it's almost like an extended version of the original single with two long songs both preceded by short ambient instrumental mood pieces that serve as the long tracks' ambitions. "L'Aube" paints a very mournful and wintry atmosphere with nature-based field recordings in the background behind slightly harsh drone washes of violin and other strings. This leads into the slightly more cheery though no less chilly title track which explodes into melodic BM with a slight post-BM edge and grinding vocals. "Là où les eaux se séparent" is the song that defines Boréalys' style of epic melodic BM: well-produced with clean sharp lines and enough raw grit to toughen the music and vocals. The riffs are distinct enough to make this song stand out with a melancholy air. Female backing vocals add an extra alt-mainstream edge though they're not really needed with plenty of good riffs and energy.
After a short repetitive interlude of brooding solo lead guitar backed by winter-breeze drone, "Concerto de minuit" continues in the same style of tragic-majestic epic BM sorrow and longing, done with technical finesse and flourishes of acoustic guitar and ambient passages of whispering vocals and whistling drone. Again the riffs stand out with a very folk-like, almost mediaeval flavour - whatever the Boréalys musicians are doing to dig up such distinct and individual chord sequences and melodies, they ought to bottle it and sell it. The song does have its very repetitive moments and a few minutes could have been shaved off its length. It does grow in scale and in its last moments achieves quite an astonishing multi-layered sonic architecture with music that is not much more than minimal melodic BM.
Unfortunately we only really have two tracks to go by but Boréalys sounds very much like a band full of confidence in its technical abilities and sure in its purpose and goals. The guys handle atmosphere and mood well, and there's considerable positive chemistry in the way they jam during the instrumental parts of the songs. I would not be surprised if there is some pressure already on the musicians to come up with an album as the music here is very good.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...