Sael 

Ocean

Pictonian 2008

Violently raw and spiteful black metal dripping with despondent emotion is what France's Sael create on this four song EP.  The initial composition, and title track, begins with an atmospheric bit of discordant melodies and some truly moody bass lines lulling the listener into a deep depression and a sense of false security.  The song then explodes into a hurricane of malevolent melodies and vocals spewing forth extreme negativity.  Changing movements and moods like the seasons, noticeably and with profound effect, Sael moves into a more epic arena with choral vocals and calmer passages.  All this range and depth within the first track displays the songwriting diversity of Sael.  Blasting immediately out of the gates, the second song, Ivresse De Lune dwells on the edge of madness between frenzied excitement and majestic naturalistic woodland echoes.  Some strange backwards sounding notes at the 4:30 mark of the track give pause and serve to mentally unbalance the listener.  Instrumental appeals not only to the dark demons dwelling within but also to the aesthetic side of our intellectual.  The Final track, Un Cri Dan L'eternite swirls within shadows of downcast feelings and rhythmic blasting while also swelling like a tide of dark emotion.  Sael is a band that is at its core a raw and intense black metal beast.  Yet is it also so much more.  It has the ability to evince emotional range, compositional depth and intellectual strength.  They refuse to be nailed down while maintaining a firm grasp on their roots.