Satan - Un Deuil Indien (Album Premiere)

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You may need time to adjust to the production on Un Deuil Indien, but Satan aren’t the kind of band that waits around. Their newest album, which we’re streaming in full, wraps up after 17 minutes, meaning you’ve got no time to hem and haw about production values. Either you’re in league with Satan or you’re not.

If you’re game, you’re part of prestigious company. Un Deuil Indien was mixed by Steve Austin (yes, that Steve Austin, but no, not THAT Steve Austin). Austin’s mix isn’t a particularly fancy one. He pushes the vocals and drums way up front, adding no reverb or artifice. Satan sound like they simply exist here, not like they are being interpreted or beamed in from another planet. It’s an unpleasant sound, but it’s a focused kind of unpleasant. No style, all substance.

This isn’t just rawness for its own sake however. Putting the vocals front and center does two things. First, it reveals the ugly and vulnerable nature of harsh vocals. The friction is audible, you can hear every ounce of grit and tension on every line. Second, for any French speakers in the audience, the emphasis on the vocals is also an emphasis on lyrics. This is where Austin’s pragmatism leads to something greater. The direct and simplistic production is an extension of Satan’s efficient use of language. Translating lyrics is always a tough job, but the basic thrust of Un Deuil Indien is pretty clear. It is an album about the importance of living in the face of forces that seek to sap you of energy. Satan are a shot in the arm. Direct art provokes an immediate response. This is the music of action, not of lounging. Doing, not observing. On album highlight “Crainquebille” Satan present a choice between death and immortality. The music behind them, a blunt and airtight combination of punk and black metal, suggests that they have chosen the later.

Un Dueil Indien will be out via Throatruiner Records on February 17th. Follow Satan on Facebook.

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