Published: February 11, 2018

I'm not big on doom metal and more often than not I skip those promos and leave them to the other reviewers, but this time I noticed that Norilsk was yet another local band, from Gatineau, Quebec (just across the river from here), that has been flying below my radar. I was also interested to hear what doom would sound like in French.

This paid off as this is an album that I've been listening to for a while now and I just can't get tired of it. Just the right length and not outstaying its welcome, there is very little that I would consider "filler" – more like a couple of short passages that I could do without, but not long enough to actually annoy (I wish I could say the same of a few other albums on my current playlist...)

Le passage des glaciers is a very slow and heavy album. Norilsk have done an excellent job of marrying the "weight of the world on your shoulders" crushing feeling that I expect from doom and a very melodic vibe. The result is an aural experience that tears you apart because it's so depressing and beautiful at the same time. The vocals are mostly light death growls that are easily decipherable (if you understand French anyway) along with some whispered passages that I found added a bit of "mystery" (for lack of a better word) to the atmosphere. Ultimately, I find it relaxing and, yes, there are even a few bits that are catchy and get the foot tapping. Here's hoping that Norilsk will be around for a while.