The work of one Alexis Chiambretto, with drums provided by Nicolas Muller, UNHOLDUN's style of black metal is simple but sublime. Although the band hails from France, the sweepingly melodic surge which pushes this self-titled record forward favorably recalls the Quebec scene that's made waves in the underground for the past decade-plus. Melancholic yet triumphant, faintly folky but never mawkish, its ever-insistent propulsion taking dynamic twists and turns, and even some commanding lead work cropping up, Unholdun retains a certain timelessness: looking to the past, UNHOLDUN nevertheless feel very NOW. "I didn't try to revolutionize black metal with this EP," says Alexis. "It's more like 'a tribute' to the good, old black metal. So, I would like to feel a little bit the 90's vibe, even in the artwork." Expanding on that latter element, he says, "The devil on the front cover plays a 'carnyx,' a French trumpet used by Gauls before a war to frighten enemies." Sound that trumpet, then, for the arrival of UNHOLDUN!
