Band:	Pensées Nocturnes
Album:	À Boire Et À Manger
Style:	Neoclassical, Avantgarde black metal
Release date:	January 16, 2016
A review by:	BitterCOld

01. Black Orleans Bump
02. Le Rat Des Goûts
03. La Marche De Travers
04. Interlude Satierienne
05. Les Yeux Boiteux
06. L'aphone Et La Flore
07. La Java Niaise
08. L'Hélicon
09. Morceau En Moins

When last we left Pensées Nocturnes, I likened my experience listening to Nom D'une Pipe! to two drunks wandering home after a bender. At times happy for the company as our paths crossed. At others happy to be free of each other's idiosyncrasies as our paths diverged. Amusingly their latest, A Boire Et A Manger, translates* to "You won't lack for food or drink."

Of course, the title could also translate as "There's something for every taste" - perhaps even ironically, as this album might not appeal to a lot of tastes.

So to continue as we left off, once again I've encountered my rather odd French amigo at the local watering hole. Only this time he's cut back on the absinthe and is a tad less prone to nonsensical rambling.

So what the faux does this mean in regards to the music you ask?

It is far less convoluted and all over the place than their last release, that is for sure. But it's not straight-up tr00 Norsk Gallic Metal Noire either.

The album kicks off with "Black Orleans Bump" which gives the listener a fairly decent idea of what to expect from the other half. A bit of (New) Orleans jazz, albeit a tad morose.

The album from there on pivots between the jazz chords and some brass instruments against the dissonant, mid-paced metal noire with all the rasps, howls, yodels and the rather sobbing wretched vocal delivery you'd expect from Pensées Nocturnes. Songs wind, wend, and drunkenly stumble along, sometimes shifting from one style to the other, but often bleeding and blending them together. Black metal, now with jazz chords and a trumpet! And occasional female operatic vocals.

Stripping it down to just two primary ingredients ends up making for a more balanced breakfast errr listening experience. I rather enjoyed the nine round jazz-infused black(metal)-out drunk with my Frenchie friend. At least more than the rather chaotic last time out.

Alas it leads to a far less entertaining review for you readers.

Now [url= https://penseesnocturnes.bandcamp.com/album/a-boire-et-a-manger]eat and drink up[/url] courtesy of the Le Bistro Bandcamp. I'd recommend "La Java Niaise".


*-special thanks to Darkside Momo for helping with some translation/transliteration with the song titles.