Band:	Inherits The Void
Album:	Scars Of Yesteryears
Style:	Atmospheric black metal
Release date:	June 21, 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. Celestial Antler
02. The Orchard Of Grief
03. Ashes Of Grievance
04. The Meander’s Gate
05. L’Effigie Du Déclin
06. Scars Of Yesteryears
07. L’Eternelle Course Des Astres
08. The Endless Glow Of Twilight

Inherits The Void imprint Scars Of Yesteryears in the form of nods to the 90s Scandinavian meloblack scene on this latest instalment.

Inherits The Void is a French one-man atmospheric/melodic black metal project established by Antoine Scholtès back in 2020, who thus far has released 3 full-length albums. This began with the debut Monolith Of Light in 2021, which was then followed by The Impending Fall Of The Stars (2023). Both albums were reasonably good efforts, but also left us with the feeling that there was still more in the tank to offer; nevertheless, the project definitely showed signs that it could well become a real force in modern meloblack. This brings us to their third full-length release Scars Of Yesteryears; returning once more as sole instrumentalist and vocalist just a year later, can Scholtès step things up a gear?

The answer to the question above for me is an astounding yes. In being the band's most epic and melodic venture yet, this latest offering doesn't just reach the standards of the previous two releases, but surpasses them by a very large margin. The first thing worth taking note is the fact that this was mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swanö, who's someone that can definitely boast about knowing a thing or two about producing fine quality albums in black metal; you only need to look into his work with the likes of Dissection, Marduk, Dark Funeral, Diabolical Masquerade, and Dawn. However, it isn't just the sound quality and production that's a noticeable improvement, but the songwriting is clearly head and shoulders above anything the band has released previously.

In dealing with legacies left by societies past and present, through various struggles including revolution and the destruction of our environment, the theme behind Scars Of Yesteryears reflects on the title itself. This is also the case musically, as the titular 'yesteryears' also acts as a reflection on the album's heavy 90s meloblack influence, an approach evident from the opening track "Celestial Antler". Here the album immediately begins in a ruthless yet melodic fashion; the relentless blast-beating mayhem and furious bass is nothing necessarily out of the ordinary, and neither is the blackened shrieking vocal style, but the sheer amount of melody provided in the riff department is what really stands out above all. The riff melodies contain relentless hooks that often even rub shoulders with the Swedish meloblack giants Unanimated, Necrophobic, and Dissection in terms of memorability. This kind of approach isn't exactly original, but being able to write and perform one quality riff after another throughout a whole album is certainly a skill in itself; this is then helped by a powerful guitar tone that shreds through the mix with almighty force.

Another standout factor is how the album combines atmospheric and melodic black elements, much in the style of previous releases. This is mostly due to the enchanting background synths, which become noticeable early on from the second track "The Orchard Of Grief", and the synths generally remain present throughout the majority of the album. What's most striking of all for me is the album's high level of consistency; as I mentioned earlier there is an unprecedentedly high level of melody that will surely keep listeners hooked throughout, and despite the mostly ferocious rhythm section being nothing out of the ordinary, it's ideally held back slightly in the mix, which conveniently allows the guitar work to really shine through. With that, the synths and occasional acoustic passages add a creepy, authentic touch of traditional Norwegian 90s black metal to the equation, and although the vocals don't often alter from typical blackened shrieks, there are occasions where you'll hear sinister echoing howls present behind the instrumentation, adding even more dynamics to its overall atmospheric structure.

Along with the Polish, US, and Scandinavian black metal scenes, the French scene still remains one of the best around; despite this, it's a scene in which many quality acts so often get overlooked, and I believe Inherits The Void shouldn't be one who falls victim to that. Not only is Scars Of Yesteryears a huge improvement on the band's previous releases, it will undoubtedly prove to be one of the most enjoyable black metal releases this year.