Thursday, January 24, 2008

Apparitia-Sumptuous Spectre

Celestia is another beautiful and strange black metal band from France. "Apparitia-Sumptuous Spectre" is their first full-length album after releasing a staggering number of demos and splits, it was released in 2002. What sets Celestia apart from your average blasting cult of disenfranchised satanists are themes of romantic love and gothic imagery. Celestia could only come from France. Aesthetically, Celestia mirror the works of such French writers as Maldoror, Bataille and Baudelaire. So it seems fitting that "Apparitia-Sumptuous Spectre" appears to have a linear story within its eight gnarled canticles. Noktu is haunted by the ghost of his deceased lover, eventually he is driven mad and takes his own life in order to truly be with her. So fucking French! The photo of the band in the booklet is dated 1933, awesome.

http://www.badongo.com/file/7455983

6 comments:

Ambassador MAGMA said...

"Nechromelancholic" is my new favorite word!

Anonymous said...

I might suggest Alcest - Le Secret. Not completely sure of the origin, though I believe it's French as well. Also, it's not nearly as grim. Leans more on the 'dark yet beautiful' side with more production value. If I remember the liner notes correctly, it's a one man gig and he worked on it for a couple years. Check it out if you haven't already. Thanks for the scoop on this awesomeness. Cheers!

Aesop said...

Yes, I know Alcest well. Check out the new album "Souvenirs d; Autre Monde" it's like black metal meets My Bloody Valentine. Glad you are enjoying the blog. Visit and comment often.

nano247 said...

this is awesome stuff
i hunted this down,
and i also was fortunate enough to get my hands on "the awakening of the dormant fiancee"
amazing

ido said...

Am downloading this right now....

Due to your blog I'm just starting to explore black metal. In the past I've given the more well known Scandinavian bands a try but didn't care for them. However I've fallen in love with your LUDICRA. The melding of the poetic and nuanced with a visceral approach to desperation has really won me over.

Really looking forward to hearing this French band. I love this kind of literary gothic art.

Anonymous said...

id sure love to hear this,but the badongo just keeps telling me "link will start automatically" and nothing happens..tried it 4 times..never used badongo before,though..but i think im doing it right.

?

bummer...