neofolk/weird folk..

Diable Amoreux

CD (2009), CD (2010), CD (2011)

DA Rec.    Diable Amoreux : Zwergen (AU,2009)****

I was sent three releases of this mysterious Australian band or project which should have the members or participants under the names of 7, Kalon Salter, Paraplethon, Carly Peters, Andreas Faust, Michael Fallson, Caitlin Jones and Lady Penelope.  I heard similar attempts of weirdness by solo projects of Splinterskin and Art Abscon, while this project sounds much more real and alternated, as if there is some real magical background involved, at the same time this is convincing theatre as if some rituals are being performed involving a different kind of creatures besides living human beings, be it daemonic puppets, priests or minstrel messengers. This is bizarre in a convincing way with different chords and tunings and melodies (performed by the black keys for instance forming rather ancient or eastern melodies, or even more odd than that), with guitar but also some high pitched instruments sounding in between a zither and a harpsichord, fitting well with their purpose and world of expressions. The lead voice can be distorted with great effects. It is a strange and compelling world, I have no idea yet which gates are now opened.

PS. The Latin name of the band also happens to be the title of an early fantasy novel.

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/diableamoreux

Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17D-KujLBPU

DA Rec.    Diable Amoreux : Horns Used for Butting (AU,2010)**'

-Gnomic Gothic Folk from Van Diemen’s Land-

For this second album we have 7, Brad Storch, A.Ulvagen, Kalon Saltor, Vicky Brooke and Jimmy Zeitgeist as their members. There still is a small proportion of weirdness but not in the same way and then also less often. This more sounds like a musical story with more melody and some compositional evolutions. I don’t know about the purpose of the story or stories but it is like it announces like a gothic musical novel with some events and with song expressions and some instrumental breaks, with a weird folk improvisation as well. There’s also use of more keyboards and some electric guitar, but a few acoustic tracks are part of it too and weird not entirely successful solo voice appearances. It is less my cup of tea but might have some astral story admirers.

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/diableamoreux

DA Rec.    Diable Amoreux : Hearts in the Dark (AU,2011)***

Strangely enough I find the third album is more theatrically appealing, the music more interesting, with almost filmic evolutions with more descriptive passages worked out and with longer instrumental compositions. The other song or spoken word based parts are equally descriptive as if making up more clearly certain scenes.

Info & audio : http://www.myspace.com/diableamoreux

go back to review page august 2011

or neofolk page 3

to the psychfolk overview page

to the general page