THE BEAST

VIA DOLORIS Unveils “Un Franc Soleil,” A Luminous Glimpse from Debut Album ‘Guerre et Paix’

Norwegian extreme music visionary Gildas Le Pape returns with VIA DOLORIS , presenting the second single, “Un Franc Soleil,” from his forthcoming debut album Guerre et Paix , set for release on March 20th via Season of Mist. The track stands out as one of the record’s most radiant moments, capturing a fleeting sense of release after prolonged inner unrest—a glimpse of serenity always just out of reach.

Listen to Un Franc Soleil : YouTube

Expansive and textural, “Un Franc Soleil” unfolds with measured restraint. Layered guitars trace gentle melodic arcs over a patient rhythmic foundation, anchored by the nuanced drumming of Frost , allowing melody to emerge from distortion and clarity from dissonance. Sung in French, the lyrics convey vulnerability and resolve, portraying serenity as something pursued rather than attained. Within the broader architecture of Guerre et Paix , the track acts as a contemplative threshold—a pause before the album dives back into denser, more conflicted sonic territory.

VIA DOLORIS is the manifestation of Le Pape’s vision: a space where emotion, discipline, and atmosphere converge. Rooted in solitude and forged through contrasts of darkness and beauty, the project confronts the gravity of existence—our quiet burdens, hidden wounds, and the journey toward mortality. This “Way of Suffering” seeks meaning through pain, always with the flickering promise of rebirth.

While the instrumentation nods to black metal’s formal foundations, VIA DOLORIS refuses confinement. Harmonic depth and subtle dissonance create tension and richness, while folk and pagan influences weave ancestral threads throughout, lending the music a mythic, almost sacred quality. Layered vocals in French, English, and Norwegian expand the emotional palette, delivering lines that feel both timeless and immediate.

Le Pape’s journey began in Oslo, where he first gained recognition in 2007 as a guitarist for the legendary Satyricon . After six years of global touring and recording, he stepped away to explore diverse musical avenues before returning to extreme music with renewed focus. For Guerre et Paix , he enlisted the masterful Frost on drums, bringing unparalleled precision and feel to the debut.

Line-up:

Gildas Le Pape — Lead Vocals, Choirs, Guitars, Bass

Frost — Session Drums

Production Credits:

Drums & vocals recorded at Red Room Studios, Norway (engineered by Mattis Elvestuen; guitars engineered by Le Pape & Elvestuen)

Produced by Gildas Le Pape

Mixed by Nicolai Codling & Gildas Le Pape

Mastered by Magnus Gulbrandsen at Jeløy Sound Mastering

Guest Artist:

Raido (Ferriterium, Heimsgard, Karne) — Guest Vocals on Track 3

Visuals:

Artwork & press photography by Linnea Syversen

Album artwork by Gildas Le Pape

Pre-orders and pre-saves for Guerre et Paix are live here: Pre-order & Pre-save

With Un Franc Soleil , VIA DOLORIS invites listeners into a world where melody drives meaning, atmosphere carries weight, and every note resonates with the tension between shadow and light.