SAINT VENGEUR – Sex and Repression in Higher Society
Release Date: 28th February 2025
Label: I, Voidhanger
Bandcamp
Genre: Electronic, Darkwave, Dark Synthwave, House, Industrial.
FFO: Pertubator, Gost, Goatcraft.
Review By: Andy Spoon
PSEUDO-OUTSIDER REVIEW – I think that it’s important to try and make sure that I’m giving myself a chance to absorb and enjoy music outside the extreme death and blackened music genres. Lately, I have been enjoying darkwave-esque music like Zetra, so I think that Saint Vengeur’s newest album appeals to me as a synth-based offering that has its roots in metal music. Frankly, I absolutely loved the album and would highly-recommend checking it out. Sex and Repression In Higher Society is set to be released on I, Voidhanger on February 28th in CD and digital formats.
This album is going to appeal to people who like the Mick Gordon-esque epic fight/battle instrumental tracks that reek of extreme metal, but are designed to offer a depth of intensity that is palpable without the need for lyrics. I think that this is awesome gaming and workout music, as there is a definite intensity and electronic darkwave energy. The overall experience is dark and moody, atmospherically-intense, without the need for extreme crunchy guitars and wild drums.
Effectively, you need to imagine some 8-bit, saw wave-over-808 blackened darkwave that steals from other extreme acts. It’s not guitar-centric, like Gordon, however, leaning exclusively into synthesizers to get every tone. The effects are generally huge hall reverbs to make the sound “massive”. There is also a fantastic stereo experience, with left/right mix being a constant flurry of shifts and binaural waves back and forth. The production is obviously meant to give you a “loudness” effect that is typical of electronic music, but I found it to be a little bit more “intense” insofar as the gain and “front of house” mix, which definitely will appeal to metal music fans.
I can’t say that I’m really a fan of this genre, which hopefully adds to my enjoyment of the album. I think that bringing an outside voice is necessary to size-up the surface-level accessibility that an album will have for common metalheads. This is one of those albums that I really enjoyed. I know I’m not a fan of this style of music, particularly, but I think that anyone who enjoys black metal, electronic music, and darkwave will really feel a deep kinship to the spirit of the album. I was never bored, as each track is highly-varied between beats, breakdowns, and melodic refrains, giving the listener a huge swath of material to absorb. There’s no time to get bored, as there’s a ton of content to analyze.
I hate to be “that guy” who thinks that music can take you places, but I can absolutely vouch for the feelings that this album can give- e.g. sexy as hell. The downtempo beats and dramatic melodies are absolutely erotic in the very best way, giving me all kinds of dirty thoughts, obviously the goal of an album titled Sex and Repression In Higher Society. If Saint Vengeur’s intent was to make an album that stirs up the carnal, I think that they’ve succeeded. This is an album that could easily be added to a baby making playlist, as I just felt sexy listening to it. I’m laughing as I’m writing this, but I think it’s fair to be authentic. Metalheads don’t have to put on Sleep Token or Deftones in the twilight hours to have something dirty to make sticky love to.
Overall, I think that the 6 tracks on the album are absolutely enjoyable. I think that it might have benefitted from a couple more fun interlude tracks to push the total track count to, say 10, but there’s not a lot really missing from the album. It’s totally cohesive in a disorganized way. All of the artistic elements are totally consistent, giving you no doubt that you’re listening to a cohesively-written and produced album that can be played from start to finish without stopping. I think that the atmosphere is palpable and seductive. If Pertubator is in your wheelhouse, you’re not going to want to miss this album. I give it a solid 4.5/5. If you enjoy electronic, blackened music, synthwave, darkwave, or even dubstep, I think there’s a huge chance that you’re going to really love Sex and Repression In Higher Society.
(4.5 / 5)
