Review by Jeger on February 11, 2026.

The older I get, the more often it is that I catch myself in the throes of nostalgia. I mourn for the way the world used to be. I mourn for the way I used to be. Here, in the warmth of that blessed recall, in the sanctuary of better days remembered is where I find myself as I prepare to take in another volume of the blackest kind. And that's the beauty of Black Metal! Its capacity for genuine conceptual depth and overall sonic allure. Today, I discovered France's Vide - a Depressive/Atmospheric Black Metal duo whose roots remain a mystery for the most part and who have also released a career's worth of music since 2018. No shortage of misery! And it will be Vide who shall usher in the suffering, because on February 27, they will release their latest piece, "Aux Enfants Des Ruines", via the prestigious Antiq.

With nothing but the hidden beauty of pain to guide us through where all hope is lost do we embark on this journey. And it will be to the divine sound of a children's choir and synth enchantment. To the sound of bells tolling and angelic clean vocalizations. The opening track, the titular cut sets a despairing tone. Like preparing for a major depressive episode that you somehow know is coming. Preparing for the worst during this striking intro. The following track, "Hymne Au Vide", instead of opening up with intensity following such an idle intro, Vide continues stirring up the dread of a thousand years with more contemplative/meditative moments of misery. Really easing into this one as you would your Hospice bed. Just anticipating every step towards the end and succumbing to their surety as lazy melodies and drab rhythms carry you deeper into the experience. Every moment of depressive sway comes one of majesty. For every second of brutality, one of melancholy.

Depressive BM is all about the vibe. It's all about the silver lining that edges the gloom; that faint glimpse of hope that compels you to go on, only to suffer again and Vide have obviously been through their fair share of agony, as we all have. Not all of us possess the ability to turn that agony into something beautiful and once again, the brilliance of Black Metal as a vessel for genuine human emotion put on display. I wouldn't even say that "Aux Enfants Des Ruines" is a recording that compounds depression in the same way that most other DSBM albums do. This is more of precious experience where the minutes are spent in reflection on lessons learned, things taken for granted and on that day when you realized that things will never actually be okay.

"Messe De Ruines - L'appel Aux Loups" - a peaceful interlude that provides a few minutes of serenity, as bells toll again to the ghostly sound of children's voices. A labor of reckoning and a testament to perseverance is "Aux Enfants Des Ruines" - one of the meaningful ones - not just another "Transylvanian Hunger" carbon copy or even another guy-crying-to-the-sound-of-Black Metal type of record. This is the product of patience, wisdom and passion. "Epic" is the adjective. With album cuts ranging in length anywhere from five to eleven minutes in duration, prepare for a taxing affair; one that requires a bit more from the listener than simple attention. Leave a piece of yourself here. Like you have a choice at this point.

Ah, nostalgia - a pacifier for those of us who knew a better day. In remembrance, in mourning and into the realm of some seriously Depressive Black Metal do we embark. BM for graveyard visits or for rifling through old photographs. The only partial downside to this album being the fact that it is certainly meant for those of us who are versed in the Depressive Arts and in suffering. Definitely not for the casual "let's give DSBM a listen" guy. You've earned it! Payed your dues and now it's time to reap your miserable bounty…

Rating: 8 out of 10