GROS ENFANT MORT : "Le Sang Des Pierres"

 

As genres shift and evolve over the years, it is easy to forget their origins. This is why I was surprised by French screamo band Gros Enfant Mort. They remembered that screamo originated from emo, which was the more melodic and emotive version of hardcore that could be attributed to bands like Rites of Spring and Sunny Day Real Estate. This album opens more in that vein, though they build things into the explosive intensity of hardcore. At times, they find and intersting middle ground between the two while singing in their native tongue. This makes their music less accessible to Western audiences but true to where they come from. 

They reach the halfway mark of "3114" before slowing their feral punk attack into something more thoughtful. Another intersting element to their sound is how they approach the more hardcore side of the spectrum with little of the metallic sharpness, but a more cutting sonic depth that owes nothing to the more Slayer-influenced side of the genre. In fact, it is not surprising that the nuance and jagged clanging they groove on flirt with what Fugazi once did, with taunt bass lines holding the jagged stabs of guitar together. At times, they drift into areas that are a little less focused than the previous songs, arrangement-wise. The staccato verses work well, though. 

"L'art de perdre" finds a more atmospheric guitar part as the foundation for them to throw their temper tantrum over. It works, but took a second listen for me to pay attention to what was going on. They are not totally detached from where hardcore is at today, as can be heard in the chaos of "Merci les cendres," that relies more on the math rock collision of the guitar. The stormy tension it creates is effective. They end the album with a more balanced melodic reflection. Though I question the choice of letting everything drop totally out to faint ambiance and trying to build back up from there, as it kills the mometum and makes it feel like two seperate songs. Nevertheless I will give this album an 8.5, as I appreciate what they are doing here sonically. 

FF047 | Le Sang Des Pierres by Gros Enfant Mort pst20