SOU/f/FRE takes its first steps.
Created at the end of 2023 by ex-members of Rãgarãja and Proxyma, the band forged a strong visual identity before unveiling their first EP, Dévotion/Connexion.
Determined to denounce as much as to leave their mark, the musicians open their EP with Esclave Heureux, asserting a modern, sometimes melodic sound with Prog/Djent roots, over which the vocalist lays his visceral howls. The jerky rhythm and numerous effects give the track a chilling cybernetic feel, while clean vocals join the mix on choruses, but we have a much more aggressive approach on Dévotion Connexion, the eponymous composition, where the musicians’ vindictiveness becomes extremely catchy. There’s no doubt that this track will be one of the most effective in stirring up their audience, especially when the sound gets darker on the second half, then it’s with Combustion Animale that Hardcore roots are revealed, letting complexity and fury mingle to send waves of raw power through us. Dissonance is as abrasive as the vocalist’s pen, but it’s with a Trap-like gentleness that the track ends, giving way to Derrière le Masque, where the acerbic verve rages once again, while the convoluted riffs occasionally offer us a few moments of respite as they become more ethereal. Heaviness and jolts of violence will get to the back of your neck, then it’s back to the darkness that the band offers us La Mémoire de la Peau, an intriguing final composition that is enhanced by simpler but equally spasmodic riffs before slowly fading out.
SOU/f/FRE present us with a striking musical universe with this first EP, matching their intriguing outfits. I definitely think that Dévotion/Connexion is just a warm-up to allow them to hit much harder.
80/100