Sombres Baptêmes Zine #2 review

SOMBRES BAPTEMES ‘Zine #2 (France)
Summer 2007
64 pages A4 – French written
The French scene is quite known for its evergrowing black metal legions, be it in the so called glorious past or the actual tiring trend of one-man-band. They are obviously some really good and worthy bands but there is also an endless amount of childish shitty and ridiculous bands.
One can find dedicated persons showing a strong dedication to the genre and SOMBRES BAPTEMES is one among them. This zine is supporting the black metal scene, not the romantic pseudo black metal, but more black metal in its rawest and darkest form but doesn’t deny other kinds of style close to black metal. The interviews feature underground acts like STAKE OF GOD, ANCESTRAL FOG (probably the best intie with a talkative Terrorizt!), NECROMANT, REVERENCE, MOURNING BELOVETH, THROMBOSIS, RAVEN CIRCLE PROD, ELHAZ and INKISITOR. The chats are quite long and interesting even if I am not a fanatic of the bands, an enjoyable reading. The editor Typhraël doesn’t play the game of the tough guy and he’s an enthusiastic lad who doesn’t behave like the average teenage black metal asshole.
His reviews about CD, LP, EP & demos but gigs as well are cool to read, even when he doesn’t like the stuff which is rare coz’ he mostly reviews things he likes.
The lay out is done in the cut n’ paste way and I hope you don’t have neck problem because some parts are stuck vertically but you can always cure yourself with the large amount of porn pictures. I am not very fond of the hand written parts. The main reproach about SOMBRES BAPTEMES is that it looks like to close to French COPULA CUM DAEMONE, with the hand written parts, the porn pix, the sulphurous paper articles.
The motivation is there, it just lack of more personality. Best continuation anyway!
Contact: sombresbaptemes@hotmail.fr (but the zine ceased any activities...)