Year of No Light

Year of No Light
Year of No Light performing at Droneberg Festival 2015 in Berlin
Background information
Origin	Bordeaux, France
Genres	Post-metal, sludge metal, drone metal, black metal
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Conspiracy, Crucial Blast, E-Vinyl, Music Fear Satan, Radar Swarm
Associated acts	Metronome Charisma
Website	yearofnolight.free.fr
Members	Jérôme Alban Pierre Anouilh Bertrand Sébenne Johan Sébenne Shiran Kaïdine Mathieu Mégemont
Past members	Christophe Mora Julien Perez

Year of No Light (abbreviated as YONL) is a French post-metal band from Bordeaux formed in 2001. On their debut 2006 album Nord, the band combined a dark and aggressive sludge metal sound with the psychedelic atmospheres of post-rock and shoegazing. In 2008, they underwent a significant line-up change which established them as an instrumental sextet as their vocalist was replaced by a third guitarist and a second drummer. Thereafter, their 2010 and 2013 albums Ausserwelt and Tocscin further demonstrated black metal, doom metal, drone and dark ambient influences.

Year of No Light was founded in September 2001 in Bordeaux, France by Johan Sébenne, Bertrand Sébenne, Jérôme Alban and Christophe Mora (Finger Print, Undone,...). Since its conception, Year Of No Light was never a "top priority" band but rather an instrumental side project. After one year of rehearsal, Christophe Mora left the band. Pierre Anouilh succeeded him. One month later, the band played live for the first time.

From 2002 to 2003, they played local shows in Bordeaux. In September 2003, Julien Perez joined the band as a singer. One month later, the new line up played its first show. Year Of No Light still remains an "active" side project due to all of the musical activities of the vast majority of its members.

The band finally recorded a demo in June 2004. After its release, the group toured Spain and Basque Country. Following the good feedbacks surrounding the Demo (one review describing Year Of No Light as "The Cure playing Sludge"), the band worked on its first album during the summer 2005. In September 2005, they recorded Nord with Serge Morattel at Geneva, Switzerland. The following year, Nord was released to positive reviews. Year Of No Light began to tour more often in 2006 and played at the famous Dour Festival in 2007. The same year, Nord was reissued on Crucial Blast, for the CD version, and Cavity Records for the LP.