Cachot d’Effroi – Demo

Cachot d’Effroi (French for Dread Dungeon) is a Raw Black Metal solo act, one that I am having quite a bit of trouble finding any information regarding. What I have been able to dig up (aside from what little is already mentioned) is the fact that the band seems to have been formed sometime during or immediately prior to 2023 with this ten-track demo serving as their debut. 

After using Google Translate to help me understand the name of the band, the overall sound and presence of the entire record makes a lot of sense – Something that I am always admirable of. Which in this case means that the Raw sound of the record adheres to the by now traditional approach of merging Dungeon Synth with Black Metal; And in this case, as the name would imply, leading heavily into the Synth aspects. The end result, in my ears, is a very low-scaled, humming affair with the higher pitched growls layered on top being the central focal point of any track whenever lyrics are added. Which, given the nature of this beast, is treated more as an additional instrument to be used intermittently rather than at all times. An effective strategy to be sure, one that I am generally not opposed to. The problem is, for me, the overall approach never truly rises above a decent experience. 

The instruments are well executed and paired off against eachother well enough and creates a stable, incessant soundscape for the lyrics to add to, which I applaud – Problem is, I found my mind wandering almost every time I put on the record, meaning that despite the interesting premise and approach, it lacks some sense of subtlety in order for me to engage with it on a more personal level. 

That being said, the ten tracks present on the Demo definitely showcased all the hallmarks of the genre, and I have no doubt that I will be hearing more from them in the future as the sound of the band evolves. 

https://cachotdeffroi.bandcamp.com/album/demo