This edition is the 2nd CD press and final version of Pour La Pureté De Mon Sang
Cult W.A.R. Black Metal from France. Reissue of 2016 minialbum, digipack.
The third demo of Elitism is definitely a bit more aggressive material than the previous ones, but it is pretty unique stuff. On "L'odeur des déportés" HGH experimented with sounds and on "Pour La Pureté De Mon Sang" he still tends to make some interesting surprises. There is no typical intro here. The first track, "The Myth of Equality" hits with full force, reminding me of Burzum's debut. And it's not even a coincidence, because the sound also reminds me of that material, as do the typical black metal vocals, it's short, fast and rough. But the second track shows that this is not the rule. Here we are dealing with lyrics that are more recited than screamed, the tempo changes, there are more atmospheric inserts too. HGH clearly takes care not to be monotonous. And this is another point of contact with Vikernes' achievements.
At the same time, it is impossible to forget for a moment that we are dealing with black metal. Short, strong hits intertwine with longer, richer songs, but a gloomy, dark mood hovers over the whole thing. The deliberately dirty sound complements the sleazy image. However, this is not monotonous and boring material, which often happens in black metal productions. It can surprise in various ways, from vocal changes to sometimes almost symphonic sound, like in "Waves of Tragedy" or „Nuit de Cristal”. But still, Elitism does not lose its ferocity. Even when vocals go more clear, they're still aggressive and furious. The last, instrumental track, brings again Burzum spirit from the „Tomhet” times.
As for not very long material (26 minutes), "Pour La Pureté De Mon Sang" is really good and sometimes surprising. It is certainly not the heaviest or fastest black metal in the world, but in my opinion it has so much darkness and evil in it that it could endow many other black metal bands with them. So, if you care about black metal because of the unique climate and sound, then you should check it out. It was re-released in 2024 on CD, but it lacks the first track and Graveland's cover from the original release.
Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvw5D2N3m6k
