Like Krallice and Deafheaven, albeit with a more mysterious vibe (no promo pics or interviews to be found), the Bay Area’s Bosse-de-Nage fit rather snug into the confines of American black metal. And like most American black metal bands that play rather than portray the style, there’s a host of post-rock and indie influences to be found, a lot of which the Norwegian guard wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Not even if it was covered with spikes!
The opening rumble of “The Arborist” manifests itself into a rather cookie-cutter song, that rings almost too close the sideways riff-action that Krallice has come to perfect. In fact, at various points during this jam, one could easily get the two parties confused, although Krallice clearly has the upper-hand in the riff and avant-garde department. Bosse-de-Nage manages to gain some solid footing with “Perceive There A Silence,” which meanders along with a harmoniously disturbing riff that lulls the listener into a trance.
Post and indie rock get their kicks in on “Cells,” which turns into a touchy platform for the band to use rambled spoken word sequences underneath the steady pitter-patter of the snare. The album reaches its apex on “The God Ennui,” where a similar quiet build-up to “Cells” takes shape, but this time, with more emphasis on melody and dreary chord movements. “The God Ennui” eventually blasts into a chaotic BM tail-end, of which is the album’s most blazing moment.
III is certainly an album of the times when we’re speaking in terms of modern American black metal. Since it has become hip for the various hipsters and art rock fiends to be into black metal, there’s a wider acceptance for bands like Bosse-de-Nage. Yet it would be hard to picture the old-school black metal vet sporting a Beherit shirt being down with this. People wearing thick black glasses and flannel? Oh yes.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)