EP 220 – Year Of No Light Soundtracking Ritual Legacy and Transcendence Through Music

On this special episode of And Now The Band, host Tom sits down with Pierre and Johan of the legendary French post-metal band Year of No Light to explore the intersection of cinematic art, live ritual, and sonic evolution. Celebrating 25 years of transformative music, the band shares the inspirations behind their hypnotic new album—a live soundtrack to Jean Rouch’s experimental film, performed during a rare art exhibition in Paris.Released on Pelagic Records, this project blends dense atmospheres, immersive soundscapes, and metaphysical themes, pushing the boundaries of traditional heavy music.

🔍 What You’ll Discover:

🌀 The origin story of Year of No Light in Bordeaux and their creative formation

🎞️ How their latest album became a live cinematic ritual tied to Jean Rouch’s film

🧪 Their use of dissonance, drone, and dynamics to evoke spiritual tension and transcendence

🎸 Gear talk: pedals, machines, and the tools behind the tones

🎨 The artistic partnership with Stephen Tanner and Pelagic’s focus on vinyl packaging, artwork & limited editions

🛸 Why they won’t perform this piece again—and what makes it a one-of-a-kind experience

📼 Their musical roots: from Deep Purple and Fugazi to Neurosis, Joy Division, and Nirvana

🗣️ A deep dive into their songwriting evolution from raw instinct to deliberate collaboration

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:

🔗 Spotify

🔗 Apple Podcasts

🔗 YouTube

🌌 Explore Year Of No Light:

🎼 Bandcamp – Year of No Light https://yearofnolight.bandcamp.com/

📀 Pelagic Records https://pelagic-records.com/product/year-of-no-light-les-maitres-fous-lp-gatefold/

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