After an excellent split EP with the German band UNRU released earlier this year, French black metal band Paramnesia get another record out, their self-titled debut full-length, consisting of two tracks at just over twenty minutes each.
Paramnesia combines its raw and chaotic frenzy that is matching to traditional styles of black metal with some engaging, almost hypnotic moments suggestive of more contemporary styles, as in post-black metal. That rage integrating with such calmness, result to the record having an overall strange but most welcome complexity, tough to assimilate but much gratifying to dwell into as a listener.
With their debut Paramnesia manage to come up with an emotional, touching album that may become possessing when all hell breaks lose and rather affecting in all its mesmerizing grasp.
There are dozens French black metal bands out there that keep the genre strong and firm and Paramnesia is definitely one of them. Conclusively they may sound more similar to the Cascadian side of the genre, like Xasthur, Leviathan or Lurker Of Chalice, but Paramnesia’s French origin creeps under those dark layers of depressing mumbles that lurk down there, in the richness of their debut’s production.
Listen to the album below or head over to the band’s Bandcamp page to get it for “name your price” download.
Paramnesia at Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions
ZR