Among Ruins And Dark Battlefields

Durch Ruinen und Dustere Kriegsfelder is the title of the split CD of two of France's most hardline NSBM bands, Sombre Chemin and Ornaments of Sin. I picked this up for Sombre Chemin. Their fuzzy, melodic dirges remind me of Akitsa's more reflective work. Sombre Chemin are avid Third Reich fetishists, but they seem to be coming from a rather despondent place, as if they are saddened by the fact that the Thousand Year Empire barely lasted a dozen. While Sombre Chemin lament what could have been, Ornaments of Sin just seem bent on being mean. Ornaments of Sin are attracted to the more brutal and sadistic nature of fascism, and this is reflected in their songs. They are more rocking in their approach, even a bit punk in a way. While I appreciate Ornaments' gut-level malevolence, Sombre Chemin wins for being far more elegant in their themes, and far more sonically bizarre. You might feel otherwise. You might also be sensitive to this kind of glorification of fascist ideals, but I don't really give a fuck.

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