Review: Belenos – Egor

Review by Jeger

Belenos – Egor

Record Label: Northern Silence Productions

Year: 2025

Rating: 6/10

Moladh na déithe! May the Belenoan Sun warm your spirit on this healing noon. The Gods shed their blessings upon Heathen flesh as the day passes slowly into the eve; the enchantment of Aurora Borealis to greet us. And so we gaze into its elaborate pastels upon where the Moon casts its soothing glow back through the Lunar tapestry onto a shadowy woodland canopy – a textured nightly azure – Rhiannon’s rejoicing… Now, let the most sacred art of Pagan Black Metal track our voyage as we trek; protected by the spirit of the Egor.

France’s Belenos – a Pagan Black Metal project masterminded by sole instrumentalist, Loïc Cellier, has released eight, soon to be nine full-length studio records since its birthing onto the scene back in 1995. An anomaly in comparison to the likes of fellow Frenchmen, Gorgon and SETH is Belenos. Though each of these bands got their start in the 90’s, Belenos just isn’t on the same thematic page as the others. While Gorgon and SETH conceptualize various diabolical idioms, Belenos details Celtic lore and Heathenism, derived from the Celt’s inhabitation of France in the 5th Century BC. On June 6, Belenos released “Egor” via Northern Silence Productions.

Belenos

The atmosphere is majestic like the aforementioned Auroral horizon, and what’s to be said of that which transpires below is fairly remarkable. You won’t be bedazzled by any sort of supercharged instrumentals, just a solid foundation of blast-beats, crashing cymbals, power riffing and godlike clean vocals during the intro to the opening track, “D’ar viken” – a suspenseful building up of radiating riffing patterns – clean and mesmerizing that give way to commanding snare-pops underlain by smooth double-bass currents. Mellow keyboard effects gently simmer into the background; creating a divine vibe. Melodic but not catchy, epic but not gaudy. So far, “Egor” is proving to be a nicely balanced recording where entrancement is the name of the game.

“Egor” is a melancholy affair, somber even and down-tempo’d; feeling like if Emperor took a handful of Xanax and recorded an album with Mgła. “Egor” is very unique but also a bit dull. There’s not much in the way of anything that would make you want to listen to it again. Its appeal is in its mood-setting qualities. Black Metal for lonesome starlit eves or perhaps for the funeral of a Hero. Every track basically sounds the same – predictable and drowsy. “Tenvalijenn” is perhaps the prime example. It does guide you through some nice melodic passages here and there, but still with the sleepy time vibes. Glad I’m not driving…

I can hear the allure and I can most certainly appreciate the epic of the experience, but it just needs a little spice. “Kabalastral” is a bit more up-tempo’d and livelier, but Loïc’s one-dimensional vocals keep it all just below the surface of what feels like a room temperature Jacuzzi. A Saltine cracker… Mystifying? Check. Mood-setting? Absolutely, but it just doesn’t build into anything. It’s like a four course dinner, but every course is the same thing.

A valiant effort and a respectable work of Black Metal is “Egor”. Worth a spin if only for mood’s sake. There could’ve been so many great parts to this album if only more imagination had been incorporated into the songwriting. A specimen production-wise, though and a nicely mixed album is “Egor”, but unfortunately, engineering doesn’t do much to redeem this thing. It feels very much like a debut album, as opposed to a veteran effort. Usually, this sort of record would serve as a piece for a band, a duo or a soloist to build upon the next go-round. Recommend it to your cousin, just don’t go offering it to The Dagda.