CoC : Sorcier des Glaces - Moonrise in Total Darkness : Review

Sorcier des Glaces - _Moonrise in Total Darkness_
(Mankind's Demise, 2008)
by: Quentin Kalis (4.5 out of 10)

Quebecois one man missive Sorcier des Glaces relies on an interpolation of atmospheric, at times ambient passages and mid-tempo or blasting sections to create a moody album, akin to the classics of his trans-Atlantic cousins. Unfortunately, this tends to be a case of spot-the-influence -- some Abbath-esque (Immortal) croaks here, a Taake riff there -- and the album does not have an identity, save for the focus on atmospherics rather than meaningless blasting. Except the ambient mood-generating passages are overly reliant on a cheap-sounding synth and arpeggiated passages, little different from many other attempts at infusing a sense of moodiness in the genre, from the Norwegian greats he pays tribute to, through to the hordes that arose in their wake. Sorcier des Glaces was never formed with the idea of innovation -- let alone revolution -- in mind, but it is doubtful whether the resulting generic interpretation was their intention.

Contact: http://www.myspace.com/sorcierdesglaces666

(article published 1/9/2008)