Here we have an invigorating and chaotic work of black metal from France’s Diamatregon, cousins of curious quasi-industrial bm projects such as Blacklodge by region and membership links. (Leader here, “Diamargareton”, is a former member). Cult oddities that Blacklodge are, this is a little less abrasive and difficult, but also possibly richer. It embraces hideous buzzsaw noise and frequently a pulsating industrial bent, but deepened by intelligent, almost Dissection-like melodies at times. It comes across as a more conventional Norse-influenced black metal record, that is not afraid of injecting industrial noise as a means of adding extra venom.

Tempos and moods are therefore varied. There are a couple of snail’s-pace brooders here; the best is Calvaire, which reverberates through some intelligible and melodious, yet artily minimalist, chord progressions and eerie moaning, bell-ringing sound effects to produce a chillingly impressive epic. The tinnily snarling vocals give it the character of one of Funeral Mist’s slower tunes. On the other, there are catchier numbers like Terror & Welfare, which has an almost techno-feel to the drumming at points and which concomitantly morphs from monochromatic black metal to riffy industrialism. And Blackrot continues the Funeral Mist comparisons with its almost superhuman, fast and mechanized, aggression, interrupted by creepy diversions of jangling clean guitars and murmurs.

Unusually for this type of record, each song seems to be focused on developing its own ideas and character, and on forming a self-contained development. Alongside the anarchic quality of some of the ideas, this is the other factor that makes Crossroad work. You would be stretching things a lot to call it “experimental”, but “original”, or “distinctive”; these fit it well. Worthy black metal with no shortage of character.