‘Les Légions Noires were an infamous group of underground black metal artists/bands that emerged from France in the early 90s in response to the newly born Norwegian second wave of black metal (bands like Mayhem, Burzum and Emperor). With a penchant for prolific demo output, next to no full lengths, rough and raw material, barely audible/listenable recordings, obscure naming conventions, true satanic piety and rabid anti-commercialism – the LLN made a name for themselves by intensifying almost every black metal stereotype known to the metal community.
‘Most of the bands centered around a few very talented and driven individuals – Vorlok Drakkstein, Vordb Dreagvor Uezeerb, Vlad Drakkstein, and Meyhna’ch. However, the volume of bands that the group produced greatly outweigh this, with 20+ groups validated as being part of the LLN. The more well known bands of the group included Mutiilation, Vlad Tepes and Belketre, but there were also other hidden treasures and auditory obscurities which many could rightly regard as simply abstract noise.
‘Being such an obscure group, rumours about their nature have always been rife. More well known tales are of Mogoutre’s demo being recorded with a microphone inside a dead rat, or of the bands recording and living within an ancient castle (dispelled as Meyhna’ch’s archaic home). To further to add to their underground predilection, the band had an unequaled elitist view of black metal with unbridled contempt shown in statements like the following: “Black Metal doesn’t mean anything any longer. It has become the shame of Satan, undermined in it’s very essence by all those pathetic worms, false Satanists, traitors and bastards of all kinds, have gathered to insult our art, and the least one can say is that they really succeeded in making it pure shit, a simple and only matter of image, money, publicity.”
‘While the LLN died silently in darkness by the end of 1996, petering out as other projects, contempt for popularity and alleged drug abuse took its toll, Mutiilation and Vlad Tepes stood out as the most distributed in the group. While the LLN did not last, it’s effects on the French black metal scene clearly did, making way for bands such as Alcest, Mortifera, Celestia and more who may have done away with the necrotic rodent production, but kept the melancholic sensibility. Even afar, bands like Xasthur pay homage to the LLN with Malefic covering Mutiilation and providing keyboards for a French band like Celestia.
‘Like much avant-garde art, the LLN has it’s detractors. Many criticisms about various LLN soundscape projects could even be considered valid, at least if one considers “the conventions” of quality to be “the establishment”, but like those who mock Jackson Pollock, most cynics about LLN are essentially saying “anyone could make those noises!” But the truth is of course, no-one but the LLN ever had the evil imagination to do it.’ — Cynic, Metal Underground
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‘Vlad Tepes was a French black metal band which was formed in Brest in 1992. The name originated from the 15th century Wallachian ruler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s fictional vampire Dracula. Worlok Drakksteim also has a side project named Black Murder. He is the composer of that band, while Wlad Drakksteim is the composer for Vlad Tepes. After a number of self-released demos, the demo-tape War Funeral March (1994) was released on the American market by Full Moon Productions. It was followed the next year by March to the Black Holocaust, a split release with fellow Black Legions act Belkètre, issued on the french Embassy Productions. In 1996, another split album with the Black Legions project Torgeist, Black Legions Metal was released by the French Drakkar Productions.’ — Encyclopaedia Metallum
‘Nos Terribles Pensees’ (1996)
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‘Dzlvarv was a project headed by Vordb Dreagvor Uezeerb of the bands Belketre, Torgeist, and Black Murder. Dzlvarv released one demo in 1996. In typical LLN fashion it is lo-fi, eerie, and bizarre. Their recordings touch on one of the many beautiful things about LLN releases. Tape is really the only format that decays, most LLN releases are tape. I love the idea that the releases have a ‘shelf-life’, and decompose with age like a corpse or dream.’ — COSMIC HEARSE
Dzlvarv ‘5’ (1994)
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‘One of the more underrated Black Legions bands, Torgeist was made of several important and key figures in the French Black Legions scene; Lord Beleth’Rim (voice, guitar), Lord Aäkon Këëtrëh (guitar), Vordb Dréagvor Uëzéërb (bass) and A Dark Soul (drums). For any LLN elitist this is the closest to being a dream team lineup considering that you have the masterminds of such bands like; Amaka Hahina, Moëvöt, Belketre, Aäkon Këëtrëh, Vermeth and so on. Judging from the first song ‘March Of The Black Assemblies’ it sounds like something straight from an Amaka Hahina demo. The vocal delivery is top notch and resembles something like a snake.’ — Encyclopaedia Metallum
Torgeist ‘Time Of Sabbath’ (1995)
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‘Black Murder was a side project to The Black Legions band, Vlad Tepes. Worlok has stated that this side project differed very much from Vlad Tepes, as in this band he was the composer, and in Vlad Tepes, Wlad composed most of the work. He also describes his music as compositions of murder. They released a promo in 1994 and the Feasts demo in 1995. Last known line-up: Vorlok Drakksteim, Wlad Drakksteim, Vordb.’ — blackmurdeefanspage @ myspace
Black Murder ‘Deadsex’
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‘Mütiilation was formed in 1991 by Meyhna’ch, Dark Bumsi of Silence and a bassist by the name of David. They recorded some amounts of demos as a trio until 1994, when David left. This was due to Mütiilation joining The Black Legions and his choice to not follow their views. At this time Mütiilation released an EP to honor the circle titled Hail Satanas We Are The Black Legions. Shortly after Dark Wizzard of Silence was replaced by Krissagrazabeth, who participated in the recordings up until Vampires of Black Imperial Blood. Once again it was due to disagreeing views. At his departure, Mørdrëd joined and became the first Mütiilation bassist to be part of The Black Legions. This line-up would be featured in The Black Plague – First Chapter (And Maybe Last One).’ — discogs
Mütiilation ‘Black Imperial Blood’ (1995)
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‘Formed around 1989 under the name of Chapel of Ghouls the name was changed in ’91 to Zelda, then finally in ’92 became Belketre. As well as Belketre both members, Aakon Keetreh and Avaethre, took part in many other projects with other LLN members. They also had solo projects most notable of these being Keetrehs self titled project Aakon Keetreh and Avaethres project, (under the name of Vordb Dreagvor Uezreevb), Moevot. As with any LLN release, so called genuine works by Belketre come to sites like e-bay and other such places very rarely. Think twice before paying much money for these as they are, more often than not, fakes and bootlegs.’ — belketre @ myspace
Belkètre ‘Night of Sadness’ (1995)
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‘Started in 1996, Aäkon Këëtrëh is the one-man project of Lord Aäkon Këëtrëh. Lord Aäkon Këëtrëh was one of the more famous figures in the French black metal scene. Belketre, Dzlvarv, and Torgeist were the three black metal projects he contributed to before forming his one-man project. However, once he shifted from his former black metal projects, Aäkon Këëtrëh became solely a dark ambient musical project that held true to the precepts of the Les Legions Noires (the Black Legions). After three demos and a short life span, Aäkon Këëtrëh disbanded in the fall of 1999.’ — Attila the Hun
Aäkon Këëtrëh ‘Dans la forêt – Untitled VIII’ (1996)
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‘Of all LLN bands, the shadowy and impossibly named band Brenoritvrezorkre ventured closest to the most dangerous, the most polluting, the most contagious point in the process of rotting. The four demos which the band released over the course of 1995 and 1996, contain music that is unstable, viscuous, formless. They are amongst those rare albums which seem to exude a smell, a stench (Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is another one). Listening to the music, one fears the aural dirt might rub off onto one’s inner ear, tainting forever the pleasure of listening to music. Like the dead who are not yet without flesh, the decayed sound of Brenoritvrezorkre can haunt its audience.’ — DOCUMENTS
Brenoritvrezorkre ‘Ezleyfbdreb Zuerkl Bervetremdre’ (1995)
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‘Moëvöt is the work of a French musician known only under the pseudonym Vordb Dréagvor Uèzréèvb. Very little is known about Vordb. Possibly his name was Stéphane Z, possibly he hailed from the (rather provincial) town of Bergerac in the Dordogne. What seems certain is that Vordb was one of the leading figures of a collective of ‘Les Légions Noires’. Moëvöt is likely to have been only one of Vordb’s many projects, others being Brenoritvrezorkre, Dzlvarv, Susvourtre, Torgeist, Vzaeurvbtre, Dvnaèbkre and (the best-known) Belkètre. It cannot be said with certainty how many demos Moëvöt brought out. Some internet sites list up to twelve demos, but only two demos can definitely be attributed to this project: Voryathre (1993) and the impossibly named Ézléýfbdréhtr Vépréùb Zùérfl Màzàgvàtre Érbbédréà (1994).’ — DOCUMENTS
Moëvöt ‘Die Dämmerung’ (1994)
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p.s. Hey. ** David Ehrenstein, Bela Tarr is pretty great, IMHO. Ah! Everyone, Mr. Ehrenstein has written what looks for all the world to be very lovely review of Mary Dery’s book ‘Born To Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey’, and it’s sure to feed you tons. Read it. He has also updated his FaBlog with a thing about Benjamin Netanyahu here. ** Sypha, Hi. Thanks much for the Kyte update and the link to her tumblr. Looks like she’s doing excellent stuff. I’ll scour there. I saw Math when I was in SF a couple of times ago. She is now a he and seems like a very different person. ** James, It’s a great book. Let me know what you think of the Vuong. The heavy hype around that book is warding me off. No, I don’t think I knew your novel’s title. Nice. I love editing, yes, and that work you’re doing sounds exciting. 107,000 words, wow. I think I’ll be lucky if mine breaks 15,000. Mine does have a working title, but I’m not ready to put it out there yet because it’s an uncertain one. No idea how many pages my novel will end up being. It’s going to be quite short. ‘Period’ or even ‘God Jr’. style short. No thoughts on hardcover or not. Way too early. I assume not just because hardcovers are getting fairly rare, but I don’t know. I’m well, and I’m glad you sound to be. Your comment didn’t post twice, just so you know. Love, me. ** Bill, Hi. Oh, well, I was speaking as someone who’s been pretty stuck in one place (here) for too long, so I was romanticising no doubt. Excellent about the Dresser gig and feast. Are the peach dinners a summer thing? I guess that makes sense. I would seriously love to partake of one with you. It sounds like Godspeed You! Black Emperor are still exactly themselves. And why wouldn’t they be, of course. Huh. Maybe I’ll try out their current state if they get over here. Thanks! ** Nick Toti, Hey, Nick. Great, whenever you’re ready. I’m excited to do it, and, more, of course, to see the film. Thanks again, man! ** Steve Erickson, Hi. No, avant-garde gaming is very niche within the gaming world, much more niche than the same equation in the film world. It took some serious doing to make the post. I do know about Friedrich’s website, yes. It’s super valuable. Best of luck on Wednesday and with your rebelling brain in the meantime. ** Misanthrope, Yes, George, many great writers write novels with no paragraphing. And many of them have been showcased on this very blog. I’ll bet Will Self’s son’s assessment was totally on the money. Cool kid. 26th chapter! Man, you guys who can write beefy novels have my utmost respect. ** Okay. Please spend your local day with France’s legendary lo-fi black metal gods Les Légions Noires. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
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The thing that always gets me about “Goths” is how much time they have to spend doing hair and make-up. As much as one of the queens on “Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” if not more.
A History Lesson: Thomas Mann vs. Adolf Hitler
Ans speaking of “Noir”
Dennis, I doubt you’ll like the Vuong novel. The stories he told were interesting, but I had a lot of trouble with the writing.
Yeah, the peach dinners are only in the summer. (We can be kind of obsessed with seasonal eating here!) The non-peach dinners can be very good as well.
Saw the new Blue Note documentary. They should have shown more of the old footage, and not let the young guys talk so much. And there should have been more time for the adventurous 60s sessions that I love (Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman etc). But I suppose it was not surprising that the filmmakers would rather talk about their hits (Horace Silver, Art Blakey, the later hiphop).
Bill
Available On Request: A Complete list of the CDs I’m selling for 7 bucks a pop.
Have you seen the Argentine film END OF THE CENTURY, which just opened in New York? I caught it tonight and was really taken with it. It’s a romance between two men in Barcelona that spans three time frames over 20 years, but not all of them can take place in the same reality. I haven’t seen a film that does a better job of showing the dizzying way gay men’s fears and options have changed over the course of my adult life. And the scene where the two guys dance to A Flock of Seagulls’ “Space Age Love Song” and then have sex is a stunner. The coda’s tribute to L’ECLISSE is pretty excellent too.
I also saw Nadine Trintingnant’s 1969 CRIME THIEF, starring her husband Jean-Louis. A really odd film about a man who witnesses a woman kill herself and then develops a dark fantasy life in which he’s a serial killer. It uses the Electric Prunes’ MASS IN F MINOR as its soundtrack. Its themes and even Trintingnant’s performance come across as a dry run for THE CONFORMIST, made the following year, but his character in that film has a certain glamour. Here, he’s just a creep.
The Aakon Ketreh song was really appealing. How well-known is this scene in France? The period when I’d see people in Brooklyn wearing Burzum shirts once a month seems to have passed.
I saw flyers informing residents that a BOYS IN THE BAND remake is shooting exteriors in the East and West Village this week!
Dennis, Hahaha, geez, I was just curious. I mean, I’ve read novels/stories with very long paragraphs with no breaks, but I have to admit that when I see one coming up, I’m like, “Okay then, here we…go…” And yeah, I’ve seen them on the blog and enjoyed most of them.
Of course, I can see the use of them being necessary. Me, I usually try to stick to shorter paragraphs, as I imagine a lot of readers are kind of like I am when I see a big daddy coming up. And of course, it depends on the writer and if he/she’s any good and what the writer is trying to do and if he/she can make it work.
There is something, though, about a wall of text that makes me do a bit of a reader double-take.
Ha! Yes. Well, you know I like Self, but I do find his son’s tweet funny as hell. Cheeky little fucker. My kind of guy. And you’re right: he’s probably spot on.
Oh, man, I’m trying. I’ll get this fucker finished by the end of this year definitely. Then it’ll get really interesting.
LPS went to court for his pot citation today. The judge looked at the paper in front of her and said, “You’re free to go.” Not only did the cop have his name spelled wrong, the fucker didn’t show up. Just like with a speeding ticket, cop doesn’t show and you’re free to go. One does get to face one’s accuser in a court of law still. 😀