Since its founding in 2008, Les Acteurs De L’Ombre Productions has developed into one of the most distinguished companies in the Black Metal scene. And in contrast to the Black Metal heydays of the second wave in the mid ’90s, when labels signed anyone and everyone in sight who even remotely sounded like Black Metal, leading to the artistic decline of the genre from the mid ’90s onward, the French label has consistently released top-notch albums. Which is all the more surprising given that there are currently almost 50 bands on the present roster. Since their 2021 debut “Eclosion” JOURS PÂLES have also been part of this circle. Although the band offers a wide range of stylistic elements, the core always remains Black Metal. The guitar riffs and vocals have one thing in common – they cover almost the entire spectrum, i.e. from simple to complex and from clean singing to screaming. This, combined with the dynamic songwriting, results in an atmospherically dense album. Individual song sections can furthermore be described as post Black Metal or Gothic Rock, some reviews even use the description Blackgaze. All correct. However, anyone who now thinks that this is not true (preferably spelled “trve”) Black Metal should be told that Black Metal has always been defined by the expression of strong emotions. And when these emotions are transformed into music and performed with such intensity, but also technical finesse, it is more genuine Black Metal than the umpteenth cheap copycat. Anyone who is not deterred by the second-rate looking cover (JOURS PÂLES really deserve better!) should check out www.facebook.com/jourspales or www.facebook.com/ladloproductions