LES FLEURS DU MAL: Idolatry EP (Malicious Release 2013) (ENGLISH VERSION)

A few months ago we had the oportunity to comment on «The Knife In My Back»  the second EP from the swedes of Les Fleurs du Mal. We had the chance to firsthand sniff at the originality and freshness of these Stockholmers. Well, four months later, we have a new EP in our hands: ”Idolatry”. Four tracks that in reality is two tracks and two remixes. Four tracks that, maintains the points made in previous the two releases, and – in my undoubtably subjective point of view – take one step further. Back in November we said told you that the brothers Grim calls their music ”Rock Noir” and the meaning of that label is if possible more evident with this EP. The songs are based on guitar melody but the constant support of the keyboards and the steady drum beat carry the classic sound beyond the usual. Let’s get to the songs themselves.Idolatry: In Vain (Radio Edit) opens the album. Its characteristics are those already mentioned: omnipresent guitars backed by keyboards and strong rhythms, bordering on post-punk. The personal voice does the rest. A track that carries you away, catchy, very catchy and overflowing with good taste. Dark, conveniently affected, sometimes epic, close to a lot of groups we know, far from pastiche, as traditional as it is fresh and original. The second track, ”Idolatry: In Pain (Radio Edit)” is a twist on the same idea. It continues with the melodic guitars, the keyboards and the steady beat and goes further, and above all, the splendid voice of Axel Grim continues and highlights this song. Once more contemporary, once more clearly inspired by the eighties. Once more gothic, but once more original and personal.After these two we move on to the remixes. The first one, ”Idolatry: In Vain (Stargeyser Remix)”, is radically different (well, both of them are, but for different reasons as we shall see) to the original. The Swedish DJ Stargeyser gives a «danceable» touch to a track that might already have been just that, but in another direction. Personally I much prefer the original mix, as indeed often happens when faced with «adjustments» in this sense, not seeing clearly what electro contributes to this type of music. Nevertheless, I understand that he naturally does his remix according to his own preference but… Truly it is not one of the worst attacks that have been perpetrated in the name of disco modernisation, I leave you to decide, but I prefer the radio edit version a thousand times to the remix. To close the EP, Dr. Arthur Krause, also a Swede, remixes ”Idolatry: In Pain”, giving it the name ”Dr. Arthur Krause Railway Remix”. This has nothing to do with the other. In this case, the song is extremely slowed, and the presence of the percussion greatly increased and leaving the entire melodic weight to the keyboards. He has left us a long track, monotonous in the best sense, dark, epic and heavier, more «classic» in the gothic rock scene. This is a version we here definitely appreciate: to be similar enough and different enough to make it a more than valid contribution, regardless even of personal taste. It’s another song, another distinct track passed through the filter of Dr. Arthur Krause making it his, as I think is required in a remix. A phenomenal track, no doubt.

In short, we have here what they promise will be the last preview before the release in may of  ”Concrete Ravings”, the first full-length Les Fleurs Du Mal album. Can we wait until then? Honestly, listening to this EP ”Idolatry” (and the previous ”I” and ”The Knife In My Back”), I think so. Although waiting will be painful…