Le Temps Du Loup • Enthraller [EP]

Enthraller by Le Temps Du Loup on 180g colored vinyl.

Comes in a standard 12" sleeve with subtle mat finish on Dark Grey Marbled vinyl and is limited to 300 copies worldwide.

Also available at Pundonor Records, A Thousand Arms (US), Birds Robe Records (AU), Church Road Records (UK) & New Noise China (CN).

Releases on August 19, 2022. 

Info

Since we last heard from them on 2018’s Cardinal, Madrid’s Le Temps Du Loup have embarked on a journey of sonic discovery, not only building upon the template that made that LP so potent, but also expanding with the possibilities inherent in a broadened canvas. Their newest offering Enthraller is a continuation of established themes such as the breakdown of society and a forewarning of the potential for darkness that could emerge from such pathways. But even more importantly, it stands as a striking experiment that sees them re-imagining their sound in varying contexts, offering listeners the opportunity to look deeper into their songwriting and see glimpses of what’s to come from these adventurous, compelling artists.

Opening track “Unto Marathon” is the EP’s shortest track, but it manifests as more than just a simple intro, surveying Le Temps Du Loup’s softer side, exhibiting synth as an integral additional layer, and showing their ability to navigate a drum-less track – an idea that comes into play much more considerably as the record moves into its B side. “Vertu” immediately punches through the final moments of “Unto Marathon” with muscular drumming, but then settles into what may be the band’s most melodic moments as they move calmly along through a three-minute stretch of quintessential mid-tempo post-rock. Even the moments when the volume is turned up have a wonderfully sweeping, alluring alt-metal vibe that is reminiscent of what it might sound like if Failure was covering a Pelican song. Of course, it’s not all presented with a subdued sensibility, as “Vertu” eventually sees the band returning to their chugging post-metal roots to mount the track’s rousing finale. The ten-and-half minute Side A closer “Sic semper tyrannis” covers most of the ground Le Temps Du Loup have trekked to this point: moody, methodical post-rock, towering post-metal, and alt-rock that lands somewhere between dreamy and destructive. It would serve as a thoroughly satisfying close to the EP, but the band has other ideas, which brings us to what might be the most intriguing feature of the record.

Side B contains a single track, the sixteen-and-a-half minute “Alt kommer til en slutt,” a fascinating freeform re-imagining the three songs from Side A. The synth that played an important role in “Unto Marathon” now takes not just center stage, but the entirety of the sonic landscape, assuming the roles of all other instrumentation for this compelling interpretation. More than just a remix or an ambient composition, the song stands tall as both an experiment, an examination, and a confident statement of purpose. For the band it is an exercise in reflection and analysis, an opportunity to take what drives them as musicians and allow those things to exist in an entirely different environment. For listeners it’s a rare look behind the curtain at the creative process, both a tool for understanding and an additional experiential option.

More than a simple EP, Enthraller is a sturdy and self-assured exploration of style and method that fulfills numerous functions in a compact space. There are robust examples of what Le Temps Du Loup have been known for to this point, skillful expansions of their core sound, and intriguing examinations of methodology. The result is a record which offers more material of substance and occasion for reflection than the average full-length, and stands as a stimulating sample of the possibilities Le Temps Du Loup bring to the table for future releases.

Tracklist:

A1. Unto Marathon 
A2. Vertu 
A3. Sic semper tyrannis
B1. Alt kommer til en slutt (Enthraller Redux)

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