LANDMVRKS - The Darkest Place I've Ever Been (Album Review)

LANDMVRKS - The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been
Released: April 25,2025

Lineup

Florent Salfati | Lead Vocals
Nicolas Exposito | Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
Rudy Purkart | Bass & Backing Vocals
Paul Cordebard | Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals
Kévin D'Agostino | Drums

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There must be a secret ingredient within the baguettes and croissants coming out of France, as the European nation is once again undergoing a revolution (of sorts). The country's rich melting pot of immensely talented metal groups are overthrowing what is considered to be the norm by putting France back on the map for all the right reasons. Bands such as Gojira, ten56., Resolve, Novelists and Rise of the Northstar, just to name a few, are some key contributors to the ongoing success of the thriving French metal scene, but none more so than Marseille’s LANDMVRKS.

Known for their unique blend of metal with hip hop elements, and their effortless fusion of the both French and English languages throughout their music, LANDMVRKS have exploded in popularity on a global scale in recent years. However, will The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been further push this band on their path of an upwards trajectory? Let’s assess.

Title track ‘The Darkest Place I’ve Been’ kicks off the album with a moody guitar tune being slowly played as vocalist Florent Salfati sings, with a voice that is dripping with emotion. However, at the one minute mark, the instrumentals create an explosion of sounds which would be the auditory equivalent of splashing bright colours of paint on a blank canvas. The track pushes the album straight into sixth gear with low tuned instrumentals leading us into the first breakdown that this album has to offer. With quite a drastic change in direction, the album takes a turn throughout the introduction on ‘Creature’. On top of a fast beat, Salfati raps in French, but it isn’t long before the band return to their heavy roots with beefy instrumentals charging to the forefront of the soundscape, and the transition between styles is beautifully executed. A melodic chorus gives Salfati the opportunity to change between his unclean growls and his sweeping clean vocals, offering a contrast that few vocalists can achieve.

‘A Line In The Dust’, continues the album's momentum with thumping guitars that weave amongst D'Agostino’s drumming, creating an exceptionally pleasing listening experience. Once again, we’re gifted with a melodic chorus which sees Salfati soar, but it is abruptly interrupted by a ‘stank face’ inducing breakdown that I couldn’t have predicted, which leaves me smiling as I press play on ‘Blood Red’. A drastic shift in tempo sees as an introspective Salfati wear his heart on his sleeve as he doesn’t hold back spills his heart, exploring emotions such as guilt, shame, remorse and regret in both English and French, with lyrics such as “...and will never forget that the pain is just the way I feel / I’m looking for a better place, I’m looking for a better deal.” and “...and I cried again, but all my tears are blood-red / All my fears have taken over now.” With instrumentals that ebb and flow between, heavy, soft, fast and slow, while complimenting Salfati’s undying passion, this song puts me in a position of confronting beauty in a raw form, which is what makes this track in particular a stand out moment on this album.

An alluring introductory guitar riff hints that ‘Sulfur’ is bringing us back to the heavy sounds that we know and love this act for. Fluctuating between heavy verses and a melodious chorus, this song doesn’t offer anything new or innovative, however, I could most definitely see myself having this offering on repeat in the future, particularly for the breakdown in the outro, which sends shivers down my spine as I consider calling a tow truck. Indulging wholeheartedly in their rap elements, ‘Sombre 16’ sits at just 1:10, with Salfati rapping in French on top of a DJ beat. It is an interesting addition, particularly with the instrumentalists sitting this one out, but this track helps breathe new life into what has so far been a considerably heavy album. With undeniably clear influence from Linkin Park, ‘The Great Unknown’ leads me to check my device to make sure I clicked on the correct track/band. The similarities the LP’s style in this offering is uncanny, but extremely welcoming. That is until a sudden and unexpected breakdown pulls away from that resemblance.

The surprising inclusion of a piano catches my attention as ‘La Valse du Temps’ begins to play. Salfati sings hauntingly in French along with the piano’s tune before an eruption of instrumentals overload my senses, and continues to follow a number of different directions, changing tempo and rhythm multiple times. The five-and-a-half minute long track proves to be a cathartic journey for Salfati, who harnesses his creativity to delve into the darkest parts of his soul and explore that space, with lyrics such as “It’s holding me close, close to the ground / Deep in my chest, no tracks of sound / Bury me whole or drag me down / I’ll find my place eventually.” and “It’s getting on my nerves / sometimes I cannot stand the light / The clock’s ticking, I keep losing track of time /I’ve always felt torn between the future and the past / but the present never quite felt right.”

‍D'Agostino’s awe inspiring drum work at the beginning of ‘Deep Inferno’ leaves me metaphorically picking my jaw up from the ground. With the tempo pushed high, Salfati speeds up his vocals without any signs of strain or struggle, in fact, he flourishes in the moment, proving that he has many tricks up his sleeve. The breakdown towards the outro concludes what is an extremely well rounded track. Soft, sweeping guitar riffs take us into ‘Requiem’ but it doesn’t last long before we are reintroduced with the fast tempo that we left the last song on. D'Agostino impressively beats his drum kit as if it owes him money and Salfati impresses me further by displaying some lower than hell lows that we have never heard from him before. Just when I thought that I couldn’t be any more impressed with Salfati’s vocal abilities, he goes and pulls that off. Final track ‘Funeral’ reintroduces the piano, this time for the entire duration of the track and features only Salfati singing softly, bringing the album to a close.

Maybe now is the right time for the French to reclaim the Statue of Liberty from the Americans. However, if they go ahead with this, she would most definitely need to be redesigned to be holding her metal horns high in the sky to honour this impressive album. French metalcore is taking over the world, and LANDMVRKS are at the forefront of that movement.

Rating: 9/10
‍The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been is out April 25 via Arising Records. Pre Order/Save here
‍Review by Adam Rice @riceyadam