Pénitence Onirique are among the representatives of the French black metal scene who have built a special status over the years. With only three albums under their belt, the band’s sound stands out strongly and carries an emotional charge that is difficult to recreate by others.

Beyond their strong identity, the band undoubtedly puts a lot of thought into their work – each of their albums has its own theme that takes the listener through an epic and introspective labyrinths. The band’s magic is proverbial – it has a specific atmosphere that intoxicates you with subtlety and then sinks into your mind with its passionate and fierce approach. And the present work is no exception.

„Nature Morte“, the band’s latest album, is a musical interpretation of René Girard’s work on mimetic desire, scapegoat and ritual sacrifice, representing a still life of the metaphorical death of the spiritual being in man. A picture depicting the fall of the human species and all its hidden desires, which are leading them into an unrealistic and distant path, far away from their true and original nature,  through greed and lust for power. A world far removed from ancient knowledge and from all the secrets of life that were once clear to every living being. In the lyrics of the album, you will undoubtedly find the usual Pénitence Oniriqué words of wisdom that will touch you in one form or another. When a band writes such unique lyrics and manages to connect with the inner world of the listeners on a higher intellectual and spiritual level, something very special happens and we are all aware of it.

For 46 minutes and a total of seven compositions included in this duration, we can not only hear top-notch black metal , combining modern with old-school and ethereal post-black metal elements, but also get a purely philosophical insight into the shrieks of Diviciacos and discover a  lot more in the meaning behind the words.
In addition, „Nature Morte“ is a special release on another occasion – it is the first album to feature the band’s new drummer, Iendar. Although relatively unknown to the black metal scene until now, the musician plays very strong parts and debuts at really high level. Witnessing historical changes in the line-up of this  band is fascinating. Especially when it is taken into account that at the very beginning of the group, Pénitence Onirique was a one-man project of Bellovesos, in which Diviciacos also participated as a guest musician, and later subsequently became a full member and an invariable part of the identity of the French formation. It’s beautiful to see them grow & change.

And when the album begins and the ferocious atmosphere crawls under your skin, you fall into a special state of trance…

Ethereal synths and a dungeon atmosphere beckon on first track ‘Désir’, quickly breaking into piercing screams, lightning-fast drums and cold tremolo. A rapid and emotionally charged song that presents an interesting perspective on desire and the potential conflicts it could lead to when it reaches the point of envy and wanting to possess another’s „precious stone“.

„Je sens monter l’irrésistible envie
Pour cette pierre sublime qu’il désire de tout son corps.
Aura de mort.
Ce miroir me toise et reflète son trésor.“

It is followed by „Les mammonites“ – an even more harsh and punishing song, which is a personal message from a father to his son about the malice of men and their greed. About the importance of keeping  your soul clean in a world of money- and possessions-hungry empty people – the so-called ‘mammonites’ (people who are
overly mercantile, greedy and the only thing they care about is wealth). There is a particular fury expressed in this song from both the instrumental, vocals and lyrics. Rage mixed with sadness from the realization of reality.

„Tu les distingues à peine ?
Ton âme est encore pleine.
Les craindre ne vaut pas la peine.
Leurs âmes ne valent pas la tienne.“

„Nature morte“, the album’s third and title track, depicts the advantage of the intellect of the individual over the masses and how no matter how much malice is there within their rows,  the individual will always rise above the dust and prevail. It shares the story of classic human and wholly unwarranted malice, of the lust for violence against the individual – how weak people unite and seek a scapegoat to blunt the frustrations of their own madness and crises, and how if this „scapegoat“ is gone, they would be faced with a harsh truth, namely – that they are walking a cycle that is too overwhelming for them and will lead them to spiritual destruction, that it is a pointless act of insecurity that will actually  never  make them feel happier. It also reveals the truth that the act of violence can be two-sided and is a cycle that needs to be stopped before it is too late. The lyrical protagonist  dies because of the malice of the crowd and returns with all his might back to life strong, but also completely aware of  the obscure and sometimes malicious  nature of man.

„Mais je reviendrai, réincarné,
Quand toutes les barrières seront tombées
Et que vous serez des clones aliénés,
Pour accomplir le cycle de nouveau.“

After the fiery message and experience of the title track, the album allows a short pause to catch your breath with „Lama Sabachthani“ – a short and radiant, slightly oriental-sounding instrumental piece that serves as a buffer for all the heavier messages and atmosphere of the previous three compositions.

In the next three songs from „Nature Morte“, the band emphasizes the themes of the emptiness of the limited and soulless beings, of the easily manipulated and greedy society, and in the finale „Les indifferenciés“ they also talk about  interpersonal relationships and how the divine is missing in  love and connections between people, how the dullness has enveloped them and prevents them from reaching and embracing each other in a spiritual aspect.

„Les racines arrachées, les gamètes mélangées,
Dans une chimère difforme et sans vie.
Le sexe atrophié par une pensé aliénée,
Un esprit dérangé, frétillant jusqu’à l’agonie.“

More aggressive, more direct and complex, the album sends a strong message and definitely brings out a new side of Pénitence Onirique. The band not only creates beautiful atmospheres, but this time actually punishes with its performance and raises questions. Fierce and at the same time melodic and ephemeral, the album seems to carry a magnified emotional charge in each of the individual tracks. Having followed the band since their formation, I’m always looking for a dose of their debut „V​.​I​.​T​.​R​.​I​.​O​.​L“ in their next works, and while there is no way to  make a specific parallel, there are a lot of the dynamics here that I find similiar and I definetely like.

Nihilistic and imbued with the pain from the sight of the dying spiritual world, „Nature Morte“ is reminiscent of a last plea for man to look at his essence, to rediscover his natural power and to turn away from everything that makes his world a place unfit for his inner  flame & stellar soul.
With beautiful multi-layered riffs at different tempos, mesmerizing drums and erupting vocals in low growls or high screams, Pénitence Onirique once again manage to weave a masterpiece out of their work and paint a sonic picture to reflect on for days after you’ve finished the last  song. Thus said, „Nature Morte“ is not just a black metal album, but  a  thought provoking Art, a gift for the listener’s senses.

Score: 10/10

Listen to  „Nature Morte“ down below:

Band: Pénitence Onirique
Album: „Nature Morte“
Label: Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions
Release date: November 3d, 2023
Order LP/CD: https://bit.ly/46EyA8E

Did you hear the album already? Share your thoughts in the comments!