Pessimismes by Détresse Review

Hail, you forsaken souls of the Black Metal Archives—Sean here, already consumed by the chilling whispers of Détresse’s upcoming album Pessimismes, set to drop May 17, 2025, via Vendetta Records. I’ve been diving into the early buzz around this Austrian-Canadian black metal trio, and their six tracks of misanthropic despair are shaping up to be a haunting descent. Let’s explore this abyss before its release—prepare to be enveloped in darkness!

Détresse unites members from Austria and Canada—S.P. (guitars, lead vocals; also in Lebenssucht, Einst), C.S. (bass; live member of Gevurah), and L.S. (drums; also in Anomalie). Pessimismes is their debut full-length, a raw, emotional plunge into black metal’s bleakest depths.

“Désarroi” opens with an 8:29 lament, S.P.’s guitars weaving a droning, melancholic riff that recalls early Darkthrone—his vocals are a tormented wail, raw and piercing, and I’m drawn in, sinking into its disarray. L.S.’s drums plod with a hypnotic, mournful rhythm—my head sways, lost in its desolate haze.

“Der Alte Weg,” surges with a colder, more aggressive edge, guitars slashing with a frosty bite, S.P.’s shrieks embodying an ancient sorrow—L.S.’s drumming adds a relentless pulse, while C.S.’s bass rumbles like a distant storm, and I’m gripping my chair, feeling the weight of forgotten paths.

“Vision Funeste” unfolds with haunting, dissonant melodies, guitars wailing like a funeral dirge—S.P.’s vocals turn to a hollow growl, and the track’s bleak vision chills me to the bone.

“In Asche Gehüllt,” erupts with fiery intensity, guitars and drums merging into a chaotic inferno—S.P.’s voice drips with scorn, and I’m headbanging, caught in its ashen fury.

“Die Ruhe Trägt” slows into a suffocating, ambient gloom, guitars and bass creating a heavy, oppressive atmosphere—S.P.’s vocals become a ghostly chant, and I’m staring into the void, entranced by its calm despair.

“Pessimisme,” closes with a furious, stripped-down assault—guitars and vocals howl in unison, L.S.’s drums crashing like a final collapse, leaving me utterly hollow.

Détresse’s sound is a frozen wasteland—S.P.’s guitars and vocals channel the raw, depressive edge of Xasthur, paired with a frigid aggression akin to Gorgoroth, while C.S.’s bass adds a steady, mournful depth, and L.S.’s drums provide a sparse, punishing rhythm. It’s unpolished and visceral—feels like they crafted this in a frostbitten studio split between Vienna and Montreal, fueled by anguish and isolation. In black metal’s lineage, Pessimismes sits with Leviathan’s raw despair and Taake’s icy melancholy, but Détresse’s Austrian-Canadian perspective adds a unique, cross-continental bleakness that’s all their own. This album promises to be a chilling descent—pre-order it now, let it haunt you, and join me in awaiting its release.

You despair-bound shades, drop your takes below—what do these tracks stir in your soul? Pre-order via Vendetta Records and brace for the void!

Stay bleak, you forsaken wraiths, and keep the darkness alive!