It’s been just two years since Horskh’s last release.
Still touring at a steady pace all over France and beyond, Bastien Hennaut (composition/vocals/synths/guitar), Sylvain Abriel (drums), and Jordan Daverio (synths/guitars/backing vocals) are back with their fourth album, MTNT.
We kick things off with the heavy yet catchy Bad Glitch, which doesn’t hesitate to rev up the machine all on its own, whether through its cybernetic vocals or the rhythm section that regularly explodes, offering a highly appreciable burst of energy that the trio maintains despite the track’s short length. Glow quickly takes over with comparable intensity, adding a hardcore/punk foundation to the already virulent industrial elements, creating a contrast with the more ethereal yet heavy sections found on Hyperhuman, the next track, with its heady roots reminiscent of a nightclub tucked away in a dark alley reserved for connoisseurs. It’s a safe bet that this track will pack an even bigger punch live, while Strange Game will surprise listeners with its wide musical diversity, ranging from a simple foundation with unsettling vocals to oppressive basslines. But the band returns to brutality and effectiveness with Twisted Flesh, which features some of the album’s most aggressive choruses. We return to intoxicating tones with Target Fades, which first charms our minds only to deliver its most brutal passages in the choruses; then the festive tones take center stage on Quicksand, creating a strangely addictive blend that the trio doesn’t hesitate to let ignite from time to time. The aptly named The Party Is Over offers an unexpected touch of melancholy that almost serves as a Gothic/Industrial interlude before Dream sends our brains spinning with perfectly controlled bursts of dissonance, while the fairly simple rhythm section pounds away beneath vocals that start off fairly calm but eventually join in the madness. The album wraps up with Connected, a track where the three musicians welcome Carpenter Brut, who not only lends a hand in creating a more ethereal atmosphere but, above all, infuses the track with his entire personality, making it accessible enough to serve as a fitting final.
As a rising star of the broader Industrial scene, Horskh has built a universe with multiple roots that he now has no hesitation in blending with MTNT, an album that’s too short but devastatingly effective when it hits.
85/100