Review Summary: Two of France's best emo bands produce a split to remember.
Whether you know or not, Daïtro and Sed Non Satiata are two of the most respected emo bands in France. Another neat tidbit is the fact they like to put out splits with other bands. Oh man, what do you know, a perfect opportunity to record a split with one another. Think about it…two of the best emo bands in France…teaming up…each putting out four songs...on one album. This sh
it is going be good. Well, it better be. So did both bands hold their own ends?
Unfortunately for Daïtro's sake, the standards for their music have become increasingly large as of late. After Daïtro's latest work, Laissez Vivre Les Squelettes, and their one-song gem on their split with Ampere, every track has become an attempt to tip the scales yet again. This split is initially led by the dense melodic guitar riffs in "De L'eau Coule Sous Les Ponts," which pour out the inner soul of Daïtro's methodical genre bending style. Within the elements of emo, punk, and post-rock, Daïtro releases a beautiful and passionate sound. Shortly after "De L’eau Coule Sous Les Ponts" ends, "Place Tolozan" barely misses a step with an infectious bass riff carrying steam during what is a short interlude. To add to what has been said, subtle transitions between clean and distorted riffs make their punk/emo/post-rock style so seamless. Since Laissez, the overall talent and technicality level has been raised a notch in addition to the intensity that Daïtro has always had. The band's singer unleashes a wickedly passionate scream throughout the album, along with an average singing/spoken voice, that adds to the overall 'Daïtro effect.' "Nous Ne Participons Pas Tous a La Même Utopie" has a gritty sound without exactly losing the poignant, yet charming, punk touch. Instrumentally, Daïtro are similar to the clean guitar melodies of Cease Upon The Capitol, the post-rock feeling of Envy but at the same time, riffs as dense as an Isis song. First, imagine that all in one song. Second, add some French lyrics and finally name that song "Un Fléau Pour Un Autre." The split album only gets better with Sed Non Satiata.
Sed Non Satiata musical approach is similar, but clearly unique. Vocally, Sed Non Satiata's singer has a better voice in general with beautiful harmonies and an overall intensity level lower than Daïtro’s (which is something hard to top). Sed Non Satiata's contributions are nothing less than epic with the exception of the pace-setting "Interlude." The other three tracks total twenty-two minutes of glory. The guitar riffs are at a near-monumental status with nothing overly complex. The post-rock/emo style is flawlessly executed with smooth transitions. Sed Non Satiata's clean guitar riffs similar to American Football and Saetia while the bass provides a solid backbone. "Les Hommes Sans Visage," "Masks," "Des Ruines" all show strong stature with its tempo pacing and solid song structure. First, "Les Hommes Sans Visage" builds slowly and gradually showcasing the post-rock/emo brilliance within Sed Non Satiata. "Masks" is a dark, and at times sad, affair which at the most part, carries at a rather slow pace. The album's closer, "Des Ruines," is paced similar to "Marks" with catchy riffs that lead to energy bursting at all the right moments to create something so monstrous and ambitious. It is hard to pick out the faults from a band that is impressive from all angles.
Overall, did each band hold their ground? I would say France would be proud of the lasting effects Sed Non Satiata and Daïtro left. Sed Non Satiata showed poise and brilliance that was near-perfect in execution. On the other hand, Daïtro, while living up to high standards, produced something that was not their personal best, but still excellent. Moments like the joining of Daïtro and Sed Non Satiata are like when Circle Takes the Square joined together with Pg. 99 for a split album. People may not realize what was right in front of them until long after they are gone (Pg. 99 follows that case), and it tells me to appreciate Daïtro and Sed Non Satiata right now. And yeah, I will.
