Artist: Conifère / Vespéral
Country: Canada
Label: Goatowarex
Formats: 7″ EP
Year: 2026
After a good demo tape in 2020, Conifère came with a downright excellent album in 2024, ‘L’impôt Du Sang’ even ended up taking the second place in my year-end list and sparking a mild underground hype around the band. But as the band has not proven itself a very prolific one before, I had no hopes of having more material to enjoy soon. And while that still holds up, we were recently treated with this little short player, a split with Vespéral, a band that not coincidently features all members of Conifère (be at as a permanent or live member). Those who hold dear the Métal Noir Québécois traditions of enchanting atmospheres and blazing tempos are in for a treat, again.
Admittedly, at first I wasn’t exactly blown away by the new track Conifère contributed to this split 7″ EP. But this is the kind of song that just needs a few listens to really sink in, there’s nothing wrong with that, and it proves all the more that this style of Black Metal isn’t just a passing fad but requires some dedication. The song gets off to a somewhat slow start, and the slightly off-key vocals might not come across quite right, but as the song progresses, it increasingly spirals into what we recognize as classic Canadian Black Metal. The frenzied tempo, paired with the mesmerizing melody, rages like a whirlwind, though it occasionally loses a bit of intensity, allowing us to recognize the solid Heavy Metal-esque riffs once again. But each time, the speed picks up again until it explodes into a massive climax. Yet another thunderous track that any Conifère fan, or Métal Noir Quebecois enthusiast in general, will appreciate.
Vespéral might have had just a bit less traction, despite already having released two full-length albums that were released on all three most relevant formats by such labels as Phantom Lure, Analog Worship and Goatowarex. Perhaps it is because with Vespéral the guys took the same cornerstones of Métal Noir Quebecois into slightly softer, more dreamy territories. That is also evident on their track on this split 7” EP. It already starts with a slow and soft rocking riff and melody that wouldn’t even seem out of place in the work of a band like Alcest. In addition, the vocals are more or less equally divided between the somewhat standard Black Metal screech and clean vocals. Yet, Vespéral, too, pushes the pace every now and then, but as a whole the music feels much less compelling due to the “Soft Rock” side of it. But, on the other hand, if bands like Fluisteraars, for example, are what floats your boat, then this might be also an interesting listen for you. Needless to say, I prefer the Conifère side of this team-up.
