The excellent French black metal outfit Heir, which was conceived in 2015, recently put a foul curse on all of us by means of this incredibly well-rounded and eerie five-track effort entitled "Au peuple de l’abîme". Although Heir is firmly rooted in black metal, which is to say aggressive and sinister black metal not unlike that evoked by countless other French hordes out there, it is the sludgy and somewhat experimental passages that make this such an engaging and compelling listen. A sense of dread and a strong dose of nihilism are scattered throughout Heir’s compositions and at times the music attains a claustrophobic and oppressive atmosphere that brings to mind Deathspel Omega and Aosoth.

 

There are also similarities to be found between Heir and the awe-inspiring Blut Aus Nord, but whereas the latter often head into wildly majestic territories, Heir opts for something murky and unpleasant, something wonderfully nasty and vile. However, both bands share a sense of the introspective and emotional, but they seem to approach those matters by different means. While Heir’s fast-paced and bombastic passages add a hypnotic vibe to the proceedings, it is the slow and apocalyptic ones that truly feel overpowering and chilling to listen to. The album closer, the melancholy "Cendres", is a near-flawless example of that. Superb vocals by L.H., stellar musicianship all around, and a highly competent production only add to the album’s sickening charm.