ALBUM REVIEW: Nostril & Hallelujah (reissue) – Igorrr
IGORRR have made a name for themselves with their two most recent releases – Savage Sinusoid and Spirituality and Distortion – as one of the most bonkers names in all of metal. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Gautier Serre’s blend of black metal, dubstep, opera, and Baroque classical music makes for a wholly distinct listening experience. Now, with the re-release of his first two albums, we can see once again where it all began for IGORRR.
IGORRR’s music is pretty disconcerting. We know this already, but it’s nice to see that this has always been the case – as the very first few notes of Nostril ring out and the tribal drums begin to pound over a brutally heavy synth. Traditional tribal instruments are blended expertly with drones and metal riffs to create the sound which we now know and love – although the country-inspired breakdown (yes you heard that correctly) at the end of Tendon is a bit misplaced, even for IGORRR.
Krautrock and EDM influences can be heard on the track Very Long Chicken – a rare moment of restraint from the master of all things excess, and a welcome break from the frantic pace of the record so far. Melting Nails is the highlight of Nostril; IGORRR come into their own when crafting metal to dance to, and the jazzy vibes of this track are blended expertly (somehow) with garage beats and everything but the kitchen sink to give this project a truly unique sound. Not all the elements are balanced as well as in later releases – Nostril is a more raw sound, full of sprawling experimentation and noise elements. It’s rough around the edges and really, really loud. Epicness and refinement come later (to some extent – see songs such as Cheval and Camel Dancefloor from their 2020 release).
Hallelujah sees IGORRR begin to incorporate more and more Baroque elements and worship music into their sound, playing with breakcore beats over harpsichord melodies and operatic vocals to create something truly unhinged. Scratchy, random and very noisy, it’s probably IGORRR’s least successful release, but still worth a listen for some truly unnerving vocal performances from the guest vocalists, especially on centrepiece Grosse Barbe. Infinite Loop’ is also a great way to round off the album – and is the moment at which all the elements seem to complement each other the most throughout its runtime.
It seems pretty redundant to describe IGORRR as ‘a bit much’ but there are times during this record, such as Absolute Psalm, where the switching of tempo (and genre) mid-song gets a bit exhausting. We’re not even talking about the relentless blast beats in the middle of the opera section, but the smooth jazz which follows it just feels like it’s there for the sake of being weird rather than because it would sound good musically. That’s probably the point, though.
But how do these reissues compare to their later releases? Savage Sinusoid is by far the most successful IGORRR‘s sound has been, the perfect blend of being completely weird yet still palatable – and whilst it is a worthwhile dive to see how we arrived at that point, the starting point may not be for everyone. However, if you’re looking for the most unhinged listening experience within the fields of metal music (to speak incredibly generally), which makes your ears feel like they’ve just completed a few runs of a particularly sadistic version of Ninja Warrior, you might just have found what you’re looking for.
Rating: 7/10
Nostril & Hallelujah (reissues) are out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
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