Dionysiaque La Tourbe Des Rêves Review
Dionysiaque
La Tourbe Des Rêves
I, Voidhanger Records
2026
I’m way late getting to this review. Between it slipping my mind and having ear surgery the same week the album dropped, things got chaotic in a hurry. But enough of that - let’s get down, dirty, and miserable with it…
French Doom outfit Dionysiaque have apparently been lurking in the underground for quite some time, yet somehow managed to evade me until now. Back in March, the band released “La Tourbe Des Rêves”, an album reportedly recorded live in the studio over the course of six days or something close to it. Normally, that kind of detail wouldn’t hook me on its own, but from the second I pressed play this thing completely swallowed me whole.
The sheer weight of the low end, the straightforward and crushing riffs, and the creeping sense of dread immediately brought to mind the spirit of bands like Saint Vitus, Reverend Bizarre, and Pentagram. It has that slow, stalking presence that feels less like music and more like something dragging itself toward you through the fog. Once fully locked into the album, the band starts weaving in flashes of Black Metal that strongly recall early Celtic Frost - sacred territory as far as I’m concerned.
Vocally, the album is gloriously unhinged. The screams and growls carry that unmistakable Tom Warrior-esque venom, but it’s the clean vocals that truly steal the show. They’re theatrical, campy, occasionally absurd, and somehow perfectly suited to the material. That over-the-top delivery plants the album squarely in the same weird and wonderful lane occupied by Darkthrone and Reverend Bizarre. If those names mean anything to you, this is mandatory listening.
A handful of tracks drift into the eight-minute range and can test your patience a bit, but the band rarely lets momentum die because the riffs just keep coming. Recording the album live was absolutely the right move too, it gives the entire thing a raw, organic energy that makes you feel like you’re standing in the rehearsal room watching the walls sweat while the band locks into a filthy groove.
If you gravitate toward the darker, uglier side of Doom and want something that feels authentic rather than performative, “La Tourbe Des Rêves” is absolutely worth your time. Dionysiaque manage to sound oppressive, nasty, and genuine without relying on gimmicks or getting trapped in one-dimensional misery. When this album isn’t kicking your head off, it’s lurking in the darkest corners of the mind. Simply brilliant from where I’m standing…
Standouts – “Accabadora”, “La Vierge Noire” and “La Commune Ou La Mort”
~Black Angel