Live Report Jours Pâles + Lunar Tombfields + Pyromancer @Klub 30/10/23

Here's a look back at the line-up at the Klub on 30 October. The evening was devoted to black metal, with Pyromancer, Lunar Tombfields and Jours Pâles headlining.

The crowd was in for a treat. As far as I know the concert wasn't sold out, but the venue was packed. I was delighted to see it, especially given the context.

Pyromancer

Pyromancer were the first to hit the stage. This trio from Vincennes is made up of a drummer, a guitarist, and a bassist. So they didn’t have a lead singer. The three protagonists share the microphone, alternating with each song. This made for a energic show, which compensated for the immobility of the musicians - although I must admit that the Klub is not the best venue for appreciating stage dynamism.

Pyromancer kicked off their set with a heavy riff intro, then the pace suddenly picked up. The ponderous slowness gave way to faster, more technical guitar strokes. This duality ran throughout the concert, and I found it very pleasing. This mix of thrash and black gave a new breath to these sometimes-vintage trends. In my opinion, the only downside was the rhythms, which were similar from one track to the next, particularly on the drums.

Communication with the audience was largely handled by the drummer - I think we can call him a "backman". Even if they were very enthousiastic, the stage presence was still immature. The transitions between songs weren't very fluid, but I think these shortcomings will be easily remedied with a bit of experience, and a residency.

Setlist :

– Evil Biker

– Hellfire Bastards of Rock ’n’ Roll

– In the Mud of the Dead

– Jurassic Kult – Vomit out the Blasphemy

– War is Hell (Toxic Holocaust cover)

– Le Baptême du feu

Lunar Tombfields

After a brief change of set, it was Lunar Tombfields' turn to take to the stage.. As soon as they arrived, you could tell they've already built up their visual identity. Thanks to their make up and costumes, the visual impact is stronger, more solemn, just like their music.

The band from Nantes were off to a flying start. Their atmospheric black metal was immediately captivating. The drumming was modern and creative, blending simplicity with technical lightning bolts. The main hallmarks of black metal were there, long tracks, verging on the litany, with a variety of parts in it. Unlike the previous band, there was no spoken communication with the audience, which reinforced the mystical dimension of the set.

While the instrumental part won me over immediately, the vocals were harder to pin down. I suspect the Klub's acoustics had a lot to do with it. In fact, the less saturated passages come out much better and allowed me to appreciate the timbre of M's voice more.

Setlist :

– An Elegy to the Fog Dancer (intro)

– Solar Charioteer

– Représailles

– As Iron Calls, So Pile the Dreams

– The Amber Herd

– Le Chant des tombes

Jours Pâles

The set change went off without a hitch. The drums now took up two thirds of the stage. The musicians arrive on stage, and here it gets complicated: there are five of them, it looked like a kind of tetris game.

The show began with the magnificent instrumental C2H60. This was followed by Illunés, both taken from the band's debut album Eclosion.

A quick introduction for those who haven't know them yet: Jours Pâles is a French black metal band born of the dissolution of Asphodèle. Backed by the Acteurs de l'Ombre label, they released two albums in quick succession: Éclosion in 2021 and Tensions at the end of 2022. Their music is full of contrasts: the band went from breakdowns to tempo changes - the drum parts were incredible! Spellbound used a variety of singing techniques (growl, melodic, spoken...), that diversity is more present on the second album.

Let's talk about the second album. There were not much of it in the set: just Dose(s) and Jour de pluie, jour de fête, which closed the evening. I would have liked to have heard a bit more.

Despite the obvious lack of space, the musicians managed to bring the show to life. Spellbound gave his all, writhing, crouching, sweating... so much so that he ended up asking the manager for a towel. His enthusiasm was infectious: the music seeped under your skin. I think I've got a stiff neck.

Then came Suivant l'astre, a track that grabbed me more than the rest, the descending scale guitar riff standing out from the rest, especially as this very high-pitched part contrasts with the rest of the much lower instrumentation.

The show ended with Jour de pluie, Jour de fête, the band's hit. The riff was effective, and everyone was singing at the top of their lungs: the finale lived up to the rest of the set.

Setlist :

– C2H60

– Illunés

– Le Chant du cygne

– Ma dysthymie, sa vastitude

– Dose(s)

– Éclosion

– Aux confins du silence

– Suivant l’astre

– Des jours à rallonge

– Jour de pluie, jour de fête

We often underestimate the importance of supporting emerging music scenes. The artists who performed there represent the future of the industry. The Klub is doing an exceptional job, as are the bands who have played here tonight. It would be a pleasure to see you there again.

I'll be back with more reviews/live reports very soon. Coming up: the Insomnium concert in Paris, and the Mvrkfest in Marseille. You'll also be able to read an interview with Spellbound (Jours Pâles).

Ciao bye

Klo !

for BGP MUSIC LIVE