Regarde Les Hommes Tomber - Exile

REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER - Exile (LADLO - CD 2015)

And here’s the last of four new releases from Les Acteurs de l'ombre Productions! Regarde Les Hommes Tomber is also the only band from the four, which I knew before. And of course I had also high hopes for their second album “Exile”. Firstly, because all other three new LADLO releases were superb, but also because I really liked their debut album. And you know what? After hearing Deluge, Maïeutiste and Moonreich I was certain that “Exile” is also going to be a killer release. And sure it is!

In case you’re not familiar with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, their music is often described as sludge / post black metal. Well, I can already hear some people moaning about the new trends of pseudo-intellectual geeks that flooded the scene with their stupid haircuts, glasses, hoods and all that shit, which normally would never be even closely related to the black metal scene. But well, times change and it turns out that black metal not necessarily needs to mean corpsepaints and Satan worship, at least according to some bands. Well, opinions are many, but why would I care? I personally just worry only if the music is good or not. And to put it into some categories has no meaning. But if you HAVE TO ASK, then I must say that for me personally this black metal tag, when speaking of “Exile” is rather doubtful. Well, I just don’t hear much of that music here. Of course, there are some traces, mainly when Regarde Les Hommes Tomber speeds up and blasts like crazy. Together with the screaming vocals, it can give you a more blackish feeling. But the majority of the album is rather typical, I would say, post metal, with touch of doom sludge and hardcore. “Exile” has the typical song structures and other characteristics for this genre. I mean the long instrumental passages, with guitars that are creating this specific feeling and so infectious, almost hypnotizing aura… this is music, which I often feel like doesn’t even need vocals or that they’re second important or maybe that they’re used as another instrument, while the guitars and the way they paint the picture is enough to fully involve the listener and take him into this musical journey.

If I can be honest, “Exile” is not a total extraordinary album or one, which will make you super excited. It’s also not the most original of all post metal stuff you’ll hear. But despite that, I do like it a lot. It is a great listen, this music is intense, but quite memorable and easily listenable, I caught its ambience right away and let the music fully capture my attention, and devour me. The songwriting is great, I like the riffs, arrangements are superb, it’s very diverse stuff, the vocals are also damn good, so is the production, which is simply top notch. So, even if I said that “Exile” is not the most amazing album of the year, it is just so damn good and solid that it would be a lie if I said that I am careless about it. Damn, I was spinning it for more than a week exclusively! Basically every song on “Exile” is great, there are no fillers, not even a second of boredom, especially with such killers as “A Sheep Among the Wolves” or “...to Take Us”. And most of all, “The Incandescent March”, which is a closing anthem, the longest (11 minutes long) piece of all, which sums up the album perfectly.

Standout tracks: “A Sheep Among the Wolves”, “...to Take Us”, “The Incandescent March”

Final rate: 80/100