loading . . . Impure Wilhelmina â Le sanglot Review Hey, remember in 2021, when we were all stuck indoors, six feet away from each other, and a little Swiss band called Impure Wilhelmina came out of nowhere and dropped Antidote, an album that had bangers from beginning to end, and was awarded a rare-but-coveted 5.0 from yours truly? That was a fun time, because there were some of you who loved the album (and still do), and many more of you who didnât like it, and boy, some of you who hated it acted like the album personally violated your beloved dog or cat in front of your mother⊠who the album then shot in cold blood while gaslighting you. Yep, like I said⊠fun times! Good news is theyâre back with their eigth album, Le sanglot, and to further endear to the listeners who may or may not have enjoyed their work so far, itâs sung entirely in French!
Okay, now that the detractors have noped the fuck outta here, Iâm sure some of you have questions as to whether or not Le sanglot hits the same lofty highs of Antidote and Radiation. Sadly, the short answer is âno,â but that doesnât mean there isnât any enjoyment to be found on here. From the moment âĂlectricitĂ© noireâ opens up, all the trademark Impurities lay bare: crashing atonal riffs, pounding drums, and Michael Schindlâs buttery smooth, soulful croon are all present and accounted for. The only difference is itâs in a different language⊠and thatâs fine! If you enjoyed anything from the prior two albums, your head will still bob, and your inner sad-boi/-girl will be more than satiated by the songâs charms, just like the highlights on their previous outings did.
The problem here is that, despite whatever language the band decides to sing in, some of the songs just donât land as well, or leave an impact. Immediate follow-up âCent milles plais,â while musically pleasant and inoffensive, doesnât do much to pull you in over the songâs duration. Elsewhere, closer âĂ jaimais radieuseâ sounds like itâs building to something in the end, but it fades out as Schindl finishes off his second chorus, leaving the listener hanging and not in a good way. But while you have certified bangers like âTrain mort,â the only song with black metal screaming and atmospherics, itâs that weird back-and-forth of quality thatâs both confounding and frustrating.
What isnât confusing or anger-inducing is the production. Once again silky-smooth and robust, Le sanglot oozes ferocity when needed, like on the blast-beat portion of album highlight âBlanche rĂ©alitĂ©,â giving the album a much-needed boost of energy. The quieter, softer moments also shine, like on the acoustic âDemain jâabandonne,â providing a rich, warm feeling while listening. But while it sounds great, I wish the songwriting were tighter this go-âround, with stronger choices and melodies. When Impure Wilhelmina fire on all cylinders, the results are usually not only impressive, but they tug on the heartstrings like few others do. On some of these songs, they just fall flat, and thatâs a heartbreaking thing to admit.
But thatâs not to say there isnât anything enjoyable on Le sanglot, as there are still some great moments on here. Theyâre just few and far-between, and not at the level of their previous two albums. Just go into the album knowing this and, regardless of your expertise of the French language, youâll be fine. Either way, Iâm sure the comment section is going to be interesting, regardless of your stance on the band or their music.1
---
Review: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 22nd, 2026
The post Impure Wilhelmina â Le sanglot Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy. http://dlvr.it/TSbq0Q
