The sophomore album by this talented French musician sees him dive deeper into nightmarish atmospheres, twisted harmonies and the interaction between orchestra and a typical metal instrumentation.

A spin-off project of Les Chants du Hasard, committed to deliver the darkest and most dissonant Black Metal in the fertile ground on which fascinating orchestral melodies with a dark, melancholic and resigned mood flourish, Paris, France-based Avantgarde Black Metal entity Hasard returns with its sophomore opus, entitled Abgnose. Mastered by Olivier Prouvost, and displaying a sinister artwork by Roy de Rat, the follow-up to the project’s 2023 album Malivore sees vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hazard dive deeper into nightmarish atmospheres, twisted harmonies and the interaction between orchestra and a typical metal instrumentation, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Akhlys, Aoratos, Blut Aus Nord, and Wreche.

Just like in his previous album, our lone wolf blends the finesse of classical music and opera with the harshness of Avantgarde Black Metal in Oniritisme, with his Stygian vocals walking hand in hand with his haunting riffs and blast beats. Senestral continues to breathe darkness into our already blackened hearts and souls, sounding as the soundtrack to a true psychological horror movie while Hazard’s drumming reeks of classic Black Metal for our total delight; and there’s no time to breathe as Hazard’s nightmarish sounds will penetrate deep inside your rotten mind in Negascendance, a lecture in Avantgarde Black Metal with elements from Post-Black Metal and progressive nuances. Antienne Estrale, the longest of all songs, is also the most detailed, dynamic and multi-layered, not to mention it is creepy and grim as hell, growing in intensity and fire until all fades into oblivion in a lesson in  experimental and extreme music, whereas finally,  the title-track Abgnose closes the album on a high note, with Hazard not only delivering venomous riffs and sluggish beats, but his keys are also phantasmagorical.

The last remnant of the 19th century romanticism had a few words to say about his newborn spawn. “Abgnose is a testament to the greater force that governs our lives, neither a god or a devil, but only pure chance. There is no greater entity sitting in the sky or below the earth, who watches with interest our petty lives. Only pure chance and random events. We spend a short amount of time as a small point on an equally small planet lost somewhere in the universe and we die, only for our futile achievements to be forgotten as fast as we’re replaced. Just count the here and now, as there’s no afterlife. Abgnose stands for removing the idea of the divine, thus leaving only the despair of having to live and not be rewarded for our actions in this world.” Hence, you can get in touch with such a talented musician via Facebook and Instagram, stream his music on Spotify, and of course purchase Abgnose from BandCamp or from Metal Odissey as a CD (EU and US) or LP (EU or US).  Always deeper into nightmares, always further into despair. To what end? That’s a question Hazard keeps asking at every note in his excellent new album.

Best moments of the album: Senestral, Negascendance and Antienne Estrale.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Oniritisme 8:24
2. Senestral 7:02
3. Negascendance 8:34
4. Antienne Estrale 10:06
5. Abgnose 9:50

Band members
Hazard – vocals, all instruments