Originally debuting in 2011 and now on their third full-length, Saille are obviously a hard-working outfit, though it’s fair to say that their name has yet to reach much beyond their native Belgium.
Musically they’re more or less grounded in 00s black metal, their icy melodies and carefully controlled song structures frequently bringing to mind latter-era Dark Funeral. If you like your metal raw, mind, you will need to look elsewhere, as Eldritch might not be as polished as the likes of Dimmu, but it’s a very modern and ‘professional’ take on the genre.
There’s definitely a touch of the Norwegians in the symphonic approach of some of the numbers here, though, with frequent keyboard use and some ‘real’ classical instruments adding to the melodrama. Less typical is the occasional spoken word, which sits rather awkwardly among the music thanks to its BBC radio drama overtones.
A listenable affair for the most part, then, but overall Eldritch’s lack of vitriol does sound like a band playing just a little too safe./o:p
