ALBUM REVIEW: IIII – Briqueville
When it comes to perfecting the atmospheric side of post-rock, some acts fall short while others excel. As soon as the thick foreboding synths begin on the opening track AKTE XVI on BRIQUEVILLE’s latest album IIII, it becomes clear which category this new release falls into. Taking elements from shoegaze, black metal and doom metal all on board, IIII excels in the most fundamentally unsettling manner. It serves as a transformation of sorts that the masked Belgian collective wield to great effect. While this is partly thanks to the exceptional layering of the genre-bending stylings present on this and their previous releases, the polished production and attention to detail throughout these five tracks pushes the boundaries of their previous work and serves to elevate BRIQUEVILLE to new levels.
This transformation can perhaps be heard most distinctly on AKTE XVII. While previous releases have been largely instrumental with sampled chants and guttural howls underscoring their dark aura, this track sees the inclusion of sinister doom metal vocals that coincide perfectly with the heavy chords and intermittent piano chimes. The ethereal chanting continues to find a place on IIII, tying it to their previous work and continuing the chronology of their releases in a way that only adds to the mystique surrounding this band and their narrative. Their repetition of tones and guitar segments throughout AKTE XVIII while drumming intensifies builds the dreadful tension in sections, at times falling away before rising once again. The result on this track is a haunting, soaring crescendo of sharp guitar notes, heavy bass, and layered synths that both elevate the overall sound into the open air while additional synths whoosh like a torrent of cold winter wind.
Things slow down after AKTE XVIII to let this climax resonate in the soul, and the penultimate track AKTE XIX provides a shorter stopgap of sharp noise played over slow strumming guitar chords and a bed of timid drumming. As this track closes with the high-pitched frequency continuing to the final moments, the brighter opening chords of the final 12-minute epic AKTE XX set it aside from the darker moments on this album. While retaining the swirling vortex of synths and other disquieting touches, it begins on a much lighter, more progressive note that continues throughout the first half. By the time the halfway point is reached, the familiar tension builds and sends the album out on a wall of tremolo guitars, fast drumming and churning bass notes before the final chord hits and seals away the dark presence contained within.
IIII is part of a journey that BRIQUEVILLE has taken willing listeners on since their inception, but it stands out as the highlight of their collected work up to this point. Those willing to walk down their dark path will find no better starting point than here, and while their previous work contains several moments of twisted genius that would delight those interested in sinking into the black abyss with them, IIII takes large steps in furthering their own sound and the post-rock genre as a whole.
Rating: 8/10
IIII is set for release on November 3rd via Pelagic Records.
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