The post black metal scene is something I get on only a few levels. I see the draw, the more picturesque beauty that the scene carries itself with, lead headstrong by Deafheaven, whether they want that responsibility or not. Bosse-de-Nage is certainly carving their own way in the scene themselves; pushing a heavy, daunting sound layered with plenty of the post rock , showgaze and ambiance that follows in the genre.
In the past, Bosse-de-Nage simply haven't held my attention. Nothing ever came across as particularly captivating. They play the elements fine but the experiences had ultimately left an impression of dry and forgettable. Yet on the band's latest release, All Fours, for Profound Lore Records, there's a blossoming that feels like its coming to. Or an identity that's beginning to shape. There is certainly something sinister here that begs and howls in desperation.
The comparisons to Deafheaven are impossible to ignore, love or hate the band. And while Bosse-de-Nage share a home turf with the the boys, as well as a split EP, the bands are apples and oranges side by side. However, with All Fours, as I've already stated, the band feels like its coming more into its own. There's an immediacy, between the panic attack-like aggression, the oft soothing melodies, and the frothing vocals. The no frills, no bullshit introductory piece “At Night” gives you almost everything you need to know within the first minute when walking into this album: noise, aggression, melody—not always in that order though.
There's a purer push of the black metal vibe on this album. “The Industry of Distance” is an absolute killer of a song and fires forward with almost no break in momentum. A few second shy of six minutes an the band barely pauses for break. The track utterly defines the rabid thirst the band drives into the listener. Other pieces like “A Subtle Change” drive home something similar but weave together much stronger elements of post-rock and breaks in the action. And despite the continued frantic screams, there is an odd sense of clarity and clearance when the band gives the listener some breathing room.
What comes through better here as well is that Bosse-de-Nage are simply a band that do, rather than a band that are trying to encompass a sound or spirit. Some bands shoot for black metal, grindcore, or simply to be experimental (or even everything under the sun). Bosse-de-Nage have that attitude on All Fours that still embraces the genre but doesn't feel like it cares if it hits the marks or not. Which may also be the album's downfall. Tracks like “Washerwoman” verge on almost ten minutes and for the first four minutes of that track, it feels like things may never pick up steam. And though the track does, getting through it each time might leave one with a burning sensation to just say, “Fuck it,” and skip to the next track.
I'll admit, the first three or four times I listened to this I was ready to dismiss All Fours and shove on another listen of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. It grows on you though. More and more. Like a sickness, or like a festering wound. It leaves a scab that makes you wanna listen again so you can pick at it. All Fours may take a little while to climb up your coat tail and strangle you by the throat, but rest assured it's well on its way. The album does have its short comings though, and getting through the boring parts is really a matter of putting a halt on pushing that “next” button. Going into this, I wasn't a fan. Now I am.
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