V/A Sadness & Beauty CD

Released in 2000 by the cult label A.M.I. Productions, the compilation Sadness & Beauty stands as a grim and essential monument to the late 90s French Black Metal underground. Despite the evocative title, this collection is a descent into the raw, cold, and uncompromising atmosphere that defined the French scene during one of its most fertile and secretive eras. Framed by an ominous intro and a definitive outro of total destruction, the tracklist serves as a curated ritual of underground history, featuring several bands that would go on to achieve legendary status within the extreme metal archives. The compilation is anchored by powerful contributions from Blessed in Sin, whose melodic yet fierce approach to the genre remains a pillar of the period. This is balanced by the barbaric intensity of Excruciate 666 and the martial, anti-religious fervor of Mundzuk, whose closing tracks provide a devastating finale to the record. Furthermore, the inclusion of rare tracks from projects such as Lugubrious Mind, Alsvarth, Malesanctus, Alienchrist, and Regnant and Thrall offers a comprehensive look at the diverse styles—from the atmospheric and haunting to the fast and chaotic—that flourished in the French shadows at the time. For the dedicated collector, Sadness & Beauty is far more than a simple sampler; it is an authentic time capsule from an era when Black Metal was still a dangerous and secluded movement. It captures the true spirit of the 1990s, where raw production and occult dedication were prioritized over commercial appeal. This CD remains a mandatory acquisition for anyone seeking to own a piece of the foundation of French extreme metal, representing a time of pure, unadulterated sonic violence.