#Hiverlucide 🇫🇷 Satan Death Whale

Band: Hiverlucide
Title: Satan Death Whale
Label: Vita Detestabilis Records (Spain), FIADH Productions (USA), Trepanation Recordings (UK)
Release Date: 3 March 2023
Country: France
Format Reviewed: Digital download

In their relatively brief career to date as Non Serviam the duo of Void & Moon have hopped so many genres that it’s hardly an exaggeration to say that their latest release could go anywhere. Will it be raging metal? Glitchy electro noise? A droning goth dirge?

Satan Death Whale (out 3 March on Trepanation Recordings) is the duo’s first release as Hiverlucide and on this Void & Moon reach into their most shamanic and ritualistic tendencies to date, with three tracks of droning guitar feedback, synths and atmospherics.

Four minutes into the opening track “Whale” and it’s all buildup. This could still suddenly dive off in many directions—the track layering feedback, ominous electro drones and (appropriately) whale sounds. If you’re imagining some kind of new-age whale song, however, think again. As the guitar maelstrom and baroque keyboards raise in intensity, this is one extremely tormented, industrialized whale.

Towards the end of the 20 minute track the keys become more prominent and a familiar, dreary guitar motif from previous releases appears. This comes as a reminder of the goth rock tendencies that often get hidden in the extreme aesthetics of the duo. Think Joy Division or The Cure, but coated in layer upon layer of vitriolic noise. Still, by their standards this is quite digestible.

Listeners might wonder why they have a raging medusa glaring at them on part of the artwork. A look to the bandcamp page of the release offers some insight, where they note this as “an attempt at mesmerising through whale chants.” Makes sense.

Another helpful reference points are the various (and varied) influences they list for this release, including SunO))), Merzbow and Throbbing Gristle—all of which totally make sense, not just for the opening track but the full duration of the album (or EP, depending on what they’ve decided to call this).

Sandwiched between two imposingly long tracks “Satan” is a relatively brief bridge—certainly more of a demonic feel here, which transitions the recording neatly into the final track “Death”.

This third and final piece does indeed feel like an otherworldly breath coming from the darkest depths. The sonic elements reach higher peaks of intensity. Whether via guitar or synths is hard to pinpoint, but there’s a kind of cascading, tumbling shimmering glass waterfall effect mid track, which is particularly striking.

Around eight minutes in there’s some unnerving rising and falling. Is this the rolling wave that takes us to the land of the dead?

By the end you may really find yourself mesmerised by the sonic barrage of this release. At the risk of hyperbole it’s hard to deny the feeling that Non Serviam (or in this case Hiverlucide) are one of the most important acts in extreme underground music right now.

Rolling Stone might retroactively cite Throbbing Gristle‘s huge importance decades after ignoring them, but on this tiny platform that most will never see, let it be said: Void & Moon are true artists, right here, right now.

It feels vulgar to attach a number to this. This is art. This is an experience. 9/10 Tom Osman

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Trepanation Recordings
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Via Detestabilis Records
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Fiadh Productions
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9/10 Epic Storm
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