WL//WH Premiere: From Root to Leaf, A Metaphysical “Catharsis” with Montreal’s OISEAU DE PROIE

WL//WH Premiere  OISEAU DE PROIE

There is always a reason to celebrate at every quality release from Montreal‘s strictly DIY label Velouria Recordz, it makes no exception the sophomore 8-track album, “Catharsis”, from fellow Québécois duo Oiseau de Proie, WL//WH is very pleased to premiere.

Born out of the compelling alchemy between the tortuous, visceral and abrasive sensitivity from musician Sovannak Ké (Noyade, Oiseau De Proie, Oppression, Ossuaire) with the magnetic vocal melodicism and evocative lyrics from Patricia Jeanson (Noyade), Oiseau de Proie have crafted a dark and occult sound that draws elements from arcane neo-folk spells to aloof coldwave mists and brooding post-punk gloom.

Oiseau de Proie‘s self-released, currently sold-out, debut s/t tape album was dropped in 2019, allowing the pair to play a few gigs and festivals before the pandemic, including the Not Your Babe festival. The band recently opened for She Past Away and is supposed to share the stage with Clan of Xymox in Montreal during their next North American tour.

It’s a long, winding walk through the woods, leading to something bigger than yourself.  Trees have a very specific language.  They communicate with each other underground through their roots;  just like words and music. Patricia says

Tormented, saturated and wistful guitar riffs, at times driven by hypnotic drum machines, interspersed with affecting and melancholic strummed folksy ballads, along with impassioned haunted clean-sung melodies, wander seamlessly in a poignant and suggestive intersection of contrasting emotional moods amidst mystical and profane, angst and fragility, dreams and reality, and glows and shadows.

Laced with hints to the supernatural ethereal aesthetic of Sam Rosenthal’s Projekt Records, the band’s new album marks a clear progress both in terms of songwriting prowess and instrumental balance, able to depict, with a distinctive organic expressive depth, vibrant, solemn and passionate ups and down, touching peaks of rare enchantment constantly hovering around the unsettling, the esoteric, and the sublime.

Oiseau de Proie‘s sophomore album “Catharsis” is out today on Digital on Bandcamp and the best digital platforms under the wings of Velouria Recordz. It will be available on 12″ Vinyl LP in a few months as well.

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