Metalcatto
Another Black Metal band from France, aaaaah!!! I’m excited. You know nothing mixes like those two when it comes to giving you an interesting experience. However, Morte France wants to do something different with Hesperia: it wants to reconcile Paganism and Christianity, which is like making pasta and chocolate sauce fit well together (food analogies are safe, they don’t offend anyone!). So, this album set some solid expectations for me, which is why I was afraid of ending up with endless disappointment — but let’s get to it.
I’ve gotta say it: Morte France is interesting! It has this particular mix of Black, Death, and Dungeon Synth that doesn’t rely too heavily on any one of them. If anything, I’d describe this album as a Black Metal record with a Death Metal vocalist. It has that medieval, epic feeling of marching cavalry and dark nights illuminated only by the beliefs and fantasies of the people living in those times. There’s also a strong thread of femininity here — a tendency in Black Metal over the last few years that actually feels refreshing in this context. I love the old Satyricon vibe this album gives us, but with respectable production behind it.
Yes, the vocals are a constant assault and the riffs strike a great balance between sword-swinging energy and haunting melodies. At times it almost feels like Lamp of Murmuur, but with less Immortal and better clean vocals. Don’t worry, old-school Black Metal fans — there’s no lack of blastbeats. If anything, they’re so constant that I was close to feeling overwhelmed, but fortunately the album throws in atmospheric tracks that should be disposable yet somehow strike an ethereal mood I welcomed after the nonstop onslaught dominating most of the record. That doesn’t mean things are perfect, so let’s get into that.
As I said, the drumming is consistent, but I wouldn’t have minded more variation; the riffs play an engaging back-and-forth game, and the vocals follow a similar pattern. However, I do feel the album could have benefited from less growling. “What? Are you nuts, Catto?” Hear me out — the riffs are good. Because of that, I want more room to enjoy them without being immediately shouted at. That’s not too much to ask. Also, those high-pitched vocals in Fernweh, along with the usual French spoken-word moments, took me out of the immersion a bit, but it’s all forgiven in the end.
Anyway, the French status quo is safe, because Morte France keeps offering interesting things from the baguette country (I work with the French, so they gave me a mocking pass). If you love occultism and mystical themes but are somehow still a church-loving kid, then this is absolutely your kink. If you’re not that, you can still appreciate the powerful riffs and the mythology explored throughout Hesperia. That’s it — go to work, study, or do something productive!
Label: Antiq
Release date: December 15, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mortefrance
Country: France
Score: 3.7/5.0
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