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Album Review – Malebeste / Monestherou (2026)

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A new Black Metal entity arises from the pits of France with their scorching debut, deeply rooted in their land and history, exploring themes inspired by the legends of Charente, Vendée, and surrounding regions.

Formed in 2024 in the small town of Angoulême, located in Western France, Malebeste are a five-piece Black Metal band deeply rooted in their land and history, exploring themes inspired by the legends of Charente, Vendée, and surrounding regions, while drawing inspiration from both the French and Swedish Black Metal scenes. Recorded and mixed by Bastien Cabirol at Akroma Studio, and mastered by French musician Septev (of bands like Hrad, Outland Hill and Stellar Forest), Monestherou is the striking debut by such a promising horde, offering a blend of melodic and powerful Black Metal driven by sharp riffs and percussive drumming with galloping and varied patterns, while its lyrics, all in French, are carried by atmospheres that are by turns dark and luminous, blending medieval and modern sounds.

Crafted by guest musician Septev, Aigre Vinasse et Chaude Populace, or “sour wine and a hot-tempered populace,” is an eerie intro to the band’s venomous realm in Hautefaye 1870 (inspired by a criminal incident that took place on August 16, 1870, during a fair in the village of Hautefaye in the Dordogne region, France, when Alain de Monéys, a young local nobleman, was beaten, tortured and finally burned alive by the crowd), where their unstoppable riffs and Black Metal blast beats will crush your skull in a demented manner, sounding simply infernal from start to finish. Their Black Metal attack goes on in full force in Chasse Gallery, with their devilish vociferations matching perfectly with all background Stygian sounds; whereas Palefroi du Diable, or “the devil’s steed,” offers to our putrid ears six minutes of absolute darkness and doom, leaning towards pure Blackened Doom Metal without forgetting their core ferocity. And Milouziena (a female spirit of fresh water) is a more direct Black Metal extravaganza by those uncanny creatures from the depths of France, with their guitars transpiring sulfur and hatred.

Such an evil horde continues to pound our heads and consume our souls mercilessly in Le Puits d’Enfer, or “hell’s well,” with its rebellious Punk Rock-infused riffage sounding stunning. The title-track Monestherou might be slower than its predecessors due to its Doom Metal vibe, but it’s still venomous and obscure, spearheaded by the demonic vocals by their devilish frontman, followed by Flamme Noir de l’Espoir, or “black flame of hope”, and such a poetic name would certainly offer us all a vicious Black Metal attack by the band, resulting in one of the most detailed songs of the album with its hammering drums sounding phenomenal. Finally, Nocturne (Medley Acoustique) could have been positioned before the previous song as an intro to it, as there’s not too much to say about this acoustic and instrumental tune.

In the end, Malebeste prove they’re among us to stay based no the high quality of the Black Metal found in their killer debut Monestherou, leaving the gates of the underworld open for another slab of sheer Black Metal magic by those talented French musicians. If you’re curious to know more about this up-and-coming extreme music ensemble from France, you can find them on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course, you can show them your utmost support by purchasing a copy of their album from their own BandCamp, as well as from Antiq’s BandCamp or webstore (as a digipak or an LP). It’s always a true pleasure exploring the French Black Metal landscape, and Monestherou is an invitation for us all metalheads to dive deep into the Stygian world ruled by Malebeste within such an exciting genre.

Best moments of the album: Hautefaye 1870, Milouziena and Flamme Noir de l’Espoir.

Worst moments of the album: Nocturne (Medley Acoustique).

Released in 2026 Antiq

Track listing
1. Aigre Vinasse et Chaude Populace 1:32
2. Hautefaye 1870 5:27
3. Chasse Gallery 5:10
4. Palefroi du Diable 6:07
5. Milouziena 5:01
6. Le Puits d’Enfer 4:38
7. Monestherou 4:59
8. Flamme Noir de l’Espoir 6:02
9. Nocturne (Medley Acoustique) 3:21

Band members
*Information not available*

Guest musician
Septev – everything on “Aigre Vinasse et Chaude Populace”

Album Review – Eminentia Tenebris / Whispers of the Undying (2025)

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This French Black Metal entity returns with its fourth studio album, formed of eight epic and melodic pieces centered around the exaltation of heroism and bravery within an ancient and mythical war-torn universe.

Founded in Le Mans, Pays de la Loire, France in 2020 as a one-man band by Cryo, Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal entity Eminentia Tenebris is unleashing its highly anticipated fourth album, Whispers of the Undying, following up on its 2023 album Rise of a New Kingdom. Whispers of the Undying, which marks the arrival of Erroiak on vocals and Daeris as the lyricist, as well as Septev handling all mixing, mastering, and layout, and displaying a classy artwork by Rein Van Oyen, is formed of epic and melodic pieces centered around the exaltation of heroism and bravery within an ancient and mythical war-torn universe. The album title should be interpreted as a metaphor for a timeless force that endures through eternity (via “whispers”), representing the survival of heroic deeds in collective memory over time (and thus never dying, or “undying”).

The duo’s cryptic Black Metal attack begins in full force in Forever Etched, an extended intro that works majestically, warming us all up for Echoes of Triumph, where Cryo delivers striking riffs, bass lines and blast beats nonstop, therefore boosting Erroiak’s visceral roars to a whole new level, sounding vile while at the same time absolutely epic. The galloping pace crafted by Cryo sounds and feels truly inspiring in The Great Betrayal, with all background elements adding an extra touch of obscurity to the music, and after such a demonic metal attack the duo offers a delicate start in Beneath the Moon, gradually morphing into another Black Metal extravaganza led by Cryo’s venomous riffage.

Through Chaos and Shadow is a first-class explosion of Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal by Eminentia Tenebris, with Erroiak proving why he was chosen by Cryo to be the new voice of the band; followed by Embers of Glory, presenting another gentle, serene intro that will embrace our blackened souls, an ode to heroism and glory, with Erroiak roaring amidst a fusion of Epic and Black Metal. Then we have Marching as One, bringing forward another round of their darkened, epic sounds, with Cryo’s riffs and blast beats walking hand in hand with Erroiak’s desperate gnarls; and lastly, the duo will head into the battlefield one final time to the sound of Time’s Cruel Reign, with Cryo’s Black Metal beats enhancing the song’s heaviness to a whole new level.

Ultimately, Whispers of the Undying questions the legacy one wishes to leave behind and pays tribute both to heroic figures and to the power of nature, before which humankind must remember to remain humble. Hence, if you want to experience such a harsh, detailed and multi-layered album of extreme music in all of its glory, you can purchase a copy of it from the project’s own BandCamp or from the Antiq Records webstore, and don’t forget to also check what Cryo and his Eminentia Tenebris are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream more of the project’s idiosyncratic creations on YouTube and on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Eminentia Tenebris. As the album progresses, the narrator transforms from a triumphant protector to a tormented soul, whose powerlessness in the face of time’s ravages leads him to self-reflection at the moment of death, and there’s nothing better than the first-class fusion of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal by Eminentia Tenebris to support his dark and infernal path.

Best moments of the album: Echoes of Triumph, Through Chaos and Shadow and Marching as One.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Antiq Records

Track listing
1. Forever Etched 1:43
2. Echoes of Triumph 4:26
3. The Great Betrayal 4:20
4. Beneath the Moon 5:21
5. Through Chaos and Shadow 4:35
6. Embers of Glory 5:05
7. Marching as One 4:44
8. Time’s Cruel Reign 5:04

Band members
Erroiak – vocals
Cryo – guitars, bass, drums