Exclusive Track Premiere: Iffernet’s “Nothing Comes from Digging”
Agreeing to write a track premiere for the upcoming album from the French black metal duo Iffernet was an easy choice, even though I’ve only recently become aware of the project. Almost since its inception, Fiadh Productions has been essentially my favorite record label, small though they are. Vendetta has been around longer, but they are also a favorite label of mine. Breathe Plastic Records and La Harelle are also co-releasing, but I’m not familiar with either. The stamp of approval by the first two meant I didn’t even pause before saying yes. (Not technically true, because I did check with my editor to make sure we could fit it into the schedule, but essentially true all the same) I’m here to say that this was the correct choice, as I’ve had the opportunity over the last several days to try to dissect this excellent album, especially track 4, “Nothing Comes From Digging.”
Iffernet hails from Rouen, Normandy in France. Based on Google Maps, that looks to be roughly the north central part of the country, not too far from the English channel. The project looks to have had the same two members since its inception. N. handles drums, while B. plays guitar. Both share the vocal duties. Life at Heart, on which this track appears, will mark Iffernet’s third full-length, along with a split with Italian band Dolpo. As a whole, the album traverses a bleak landscape of sonic darkness. Life at Heart fits comfortably under the admittedly large black metal umbrella, while threading in seams of so-called disso-black and DSBM. Without giving too much away, allow me to suggest the value of listening to the whole thing, once it’s available. It’s worth your time.
“Nothing Comes From Digging” starts with about three seconds of ambient sound, probably a field recording of some sort based on the credits. It sounds like wind blowing past a fence post or perhaps a train in the far distance. Then it kicks into a mid-paced groove—a nasty groove to be sure, but a groove nonetheless. The slow rising, then suddenly falling notes give a strong sensation of fighting to rise up, before dropping back down to the ground with a thud, repeated ad nauseam. At nearly the three-minute mark, the track picks up the pace considerably, becoming an inferno of tremolo riffing and anguish. This continues for about a minute more before fading back into ambient field recordings.
Thematically, “Nothing Come From Digging” captures the misery of someone who has tried so long without success that they are completely defeated. Part of the lyrics include:
Nothing comes from digging
No thoughts left
Only emptiness
The slow struggle to rise, then the sudden fall off in the notes as described above seem to demonstrate the past digging the protagonist has attempted. The more furious part of the track in the last third, for me, mimics that manic, desperate sense of all hope being lost. It feels almost panicked. Iffernet does a fantastic job matching the composition to the theme on this track, which makes it exceptionally visceral.
What further can I say, but, in the case of this song, something will come from digging into the slightly raw riffing, varied percussion, and agonizing rasps. Dig in!
Life at Heart releases digitally on March 20th. European LP and CD are through Vendetta and La Harelle. European CS is through Breath Plastic Records and La Harelle. US CS and CD are through Fiadh Productions and La Harelle.
Album art by Patrice Réglat-Vizzavona
