At the end of 2020 the French atmospheric/psychedelic black metal band Bacchus made their recording debut with a self-titled EP, and we had the pleasure of premiering it. As we explained then, the record was composed by Moïse Mestriaux, and he also performed synthesizers and selected samples used in the music. Aiding him were members of Abyssal Vacuum, Dysylumn, and Ominous Shrine — Sébastien B. (guitars, bass, vocals) and drummer Camille Olivier F.B. (who, who also mixed and mastered the EP.
Continuing to draw inspiration from the cult of the Roman god of wine, ecstasy, and madness, these three are now returning with a debut album that’s set for release by Debemur Morsi Productions on April 7th, and we again have the pleasure of doing a premiere, this time for the second song to be revealed so far from the new full-length, along with a brief interview of vocalist/guitarist Sébastien B.
In Sébastien‘s words (and you’ll find more of his insights at the end of this article):
“The music of BACCHUS draws inspiration from altered states induced by substance use and the intoxicating creativity that comes from it. Our music aims to take the audience on an introspective and psychedelic journey, with contrasting emotions. Ultimately the darkness emanates from inside, from the listeners themselves, and should be both exhilarating and disturbing.”
The band’s decision to allow their own Bacchanalian mysteries to be interpreted and absorbed by listeners in their own way may account for the fact that Bacchus don’t use conventional song names, which might influence reactions in artificial ways. Instead, they use only Roman numerals. The new album is simply entitled II, and the song titles carry forward that method of nomenclature.
The first song DMP presented from the album was the opener, “II.I“. It reveals a kind of haunting and harrowing elegance, but it’s also a mind-altering experience. It marches in an imperious stomp, embellished by beastly throat-singing and emblazoned by grand overarching waves of sound, made more vibrant by a vivid bass pulse, the fast flicker of a deranged lead guitar, whistling electronics, and bursts of percussive tumult.
Ultimately, it feels like being swept out to sea by powerful tides, with no way back, a glorious, exalted, but doomed excursion. True to the band’s inspirations, the wailing vocals do sound as if they were recorded in an intoxicated altered state, all the better to alter your own state.
The song we present today comes third in the album’s running order and thus is denominated “II.III“, and it reveals a different turn in the album’s musical path.
The keyboards ring in harpsichord-like tones, soon subsumed by symphonic magnificence and frantically glittering shrillness, but again moved by rhythms of visceral power. The ring of the keys creates a feeling of wonder, but there’s also something about the song that’s dark and ominous, a feeling underscored by grim, deep, gritty vocals and heavy droning tones.
The drumming begins to give the music the atmosphere of a primitive and potentially dangerous ritual, one that’s leading participants under the influence of psychoactive substances into the banishment of reason. You can feel the madness, but the music’s heaving heaviness also channels a kind of towering peril. At the end, everything seems to vanish, to have been teleported away….
The album includes four more tracks besides the two that have now been made public. Eventually you’ll be able to hear them in order, from beginning to end, and that’s clearly the best way to experience II.
The album as a whole is capable of inducing an extended fever dream, one that spawns visions of magnificence (both wondrous and malignant), kindles primeval fears and feral energies, and does indeed become intoxicating (but also unsettling) as it ebbs and flows through heavy shades of gloom, moments of ethereal brightness, waves of panoramic majesty, and seizures of exultation.
The new album’s artwork and layout were designed by Quentin Q, and Bacchus drummer Camille Olivier F.B. was again responsible for mixing and mastering the record.
II will be released via Debemur Morti Productions on CD, vinyl, tape, and digital formats, along with band merchandise and a limited edition box set. (The merchandise and the box set are only available from the label’s EU shop.) You’ll find pre-order opportunities through the links below. After those links you’ll find the brief interview of Sébastien B. that DMP furnished us.
PRE-ORDER:
EU shop: bit.ly/bacchusEU
US shop: bit.ly/bacchusUS
Bandcamp: bit.ly/bacchusII
BACCHUS:
https://www.facebook.com/bacchus.dionysies/
INTERVIEW WITH SÉBASTIEN B
Q: Hello Sébastien and thank you for your time! The second song we are allowed to immerse ourselves into seems to be a bit more traditional and easier to grasp. Can you lead us through the idea and inspiration behind this specific composition?
This second track was composed in a slightly different way, as we wanted to create a composition based on a synth with drone sounds. The layering of instruments went smoothly, and the track is the darkest on the album, both in terms of its lyrics and the aura it gives off. It has a unique feature that the other tracks don’t have, which is this second phase that evolves into a more oppressive context, a kind of fall, a loss of control.
Q: If we put together the first track, ‘II.I’, and the now unveiled track, ‘II.III’, would you say that these two compositions are an adequate representation of the whole album?
Elements such as melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and instruments used all contribute to creating a specific ambience and atmosphere for each track. But one could say that they somehow reflect an osmosis that links them all together, so yes, both tracks represent the project and are essential to its completion, even though they remain very different.
Q: What do you think would be the ideal state, time, and space to listen to your Art to experience it the fullest?
Our Art can be experienced and interpreted by individuals in their own unique ways, the enjoyment of music being a very personal thing. However, the transcendental nature of our music lends itself to an introspective listening, comfortably settled, with the warm candlelight illuminating the surrounding darkness. In addition, for adult listeners, we will be serving a bottle of high-quality wine to accompany our release, which would be perfect for a tasting session.