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
A few questions for Bastien Hennaut, vocalist and founder of the band Horskh, about the release of his new album, MTNT.
Hello, and first of all, thanks for taking the time to talk to me! This is already our third interview, so let’s try something new: looking back at the early days of Horskh, how would you describe the band’s evolution?
Bastien Hennaut (vocals): Hello. Yes, this is our fourth album. When I started this project, I was playing in several metal bands. So I wanted to do something much more electro-EBM. Little by little, guitars made their way back into Horskh. On MTNT, our latest album, they’re featured in every track. This evolution also came about because of the scene we’re part of, which is very Metal. From the start, we’ve also become more and more organized; we’ve developed our own label (Wire Control) with Mélanie, who is our manager and administrator, which allows us to release our music and choose our partners (physical and digital distribution, record label, digital marketing, merchandising, pressing, etc.). And our audience is growing, which is really exciting.
You told me that “Horskh” was a kind of onomatopoeia, how do you relate it to your current music?
Bastien: Haha, yeah, there’s a story behind that name that’s evolved over time. But yeah, it still fits! It’s inseparable from our identity
Your new album, MTNT, is coming out soon, how are you all feeling as a band? Have you gotten any feedback about it yet?
Bastien: The album’s out, and we’re getting great feedback from the audience at our live shows. People are sending us messages to congratulate us, and we’re getting good press reviews, too. It’s really nice!
MTNT makes me think of the word “now” (“maintenant” in French, ed.), is that your intention? What sparked its creation, and especially its realization?
Bastien: MTNT stands for “mutant.” Four letters, just like each of our albums. It’s a metaphor for the band’s evolution and our sound. MTNT is an album that explores transformation in all its forms: intimate, social, and technological. It’s about our relationship with change. From the mutation of humans and the body (Twisted Flesh) to the hyperhumanity of augmented bodies (Hyperhuman), and including the shifts in our society regarding gender and the acceleration of innovation, the album questions what it means to “be human” today. Both a creative force and an inevitable strangeness, transformation here becomes a metaphor for art and life. Transforming ourselves is how we exist in a world that’s constantly changing. It’s also an invitation to embrace all the quirks of unique individuals who think outside the box and dare to try new things!
How did the songwriting process for MTNT go? Since the lineup has been stable for a while now, have you noticed any changes compared to the early days, whether positive, negative, or just changes in general?
Bastien: For this album, I handled the songwriting on my own, but I asked several people for feedback on what I was working on at different stages of the process. Of course, I regularly sent the works-in-progress to Jordan and Briou, who play in the band, so they could give me their opinions, but I also consulted quite a bit with Fred Garcia (Nivo 0, Ghostdance, Violence), with whom I get along very well both personally and artistically. Robby, our sound engineer, also gave me a lot of feedback. I’d like to thank all of these people for their help!
The band’s sound remains rooted in Industrial music, but I feel like there are more nuances on MTNT, whether in terms of violence, oppression, or even gentleness. Do you think your influences have evolved over time?
Bastien: I wanted to explore a wider range of emotions with this album. More melody, but also more violence! And of course, I listen to a lot of music across many genres, so that comes through in Horskh! I’d tried writing calmer tracks on previous albums, but I was never convinced by the result. This time, the album’s vibe lent itself to it better, too
The tracks on the album are both the most energetic and the calmest in Horskh’s discography, do you also feel that there’s such a contrast?
Bastien: Yes, that was intentional.
What about the collaboration with Carpenter Brut on the latest track? How did the track come together?
Bastien: I’ve been listening to Carpenter Brut and following their work since their first EP. We’ve had the chance to open for them on numerous occasions. We invited them to the release party for our album Wire, we played with them at their first Zenith show, and so on… So I’d had the idea of doing a collaboration with him in mind for a long time. While working on the MTNT album, I had about 70 tracks in the works, and this track, Connected, had a pretty Synthwave vibe. I thought it would be perfect for Carpenter! I sent him the track, we went back and forth a few times, and there you go.
MTNT is being released again on your own label, Wire Control, why did you choose to remain the sole decision-makers?
Bastien: It lets us choose our partners (publishing, merch, physical and digital distribution, etc.) and also gives us control over our artistic direction and our schedule. We retain ownership of our music, etc. We’ve already had offers from labels, but they weren’t as appealing as staying independent. That said, we’re still open to offers!
Speaking of the MTNT album cover, it’s very unsettling, but also quite simple, and ties in with the theme of transformation explored by the album. Can you tell me a little more about how it came about?
Bastien: I really wanted to work with the artist Johanna Jaskowska because I’ve been following her work for quite some time, and her aesthetic fits perfectly with the MTNT concept. So she created a series of visuals centered on this transformation, which was meant to avoid being gory. I wanted it to be implied, fashionable, bizarre, and contemporary.
I also noticed that Horskh has a lot of shows lined up for the start of the school year, how do you balance the busy schedule with your personal lives? And how did you put together the setlist?
Bastien: Yes, we’re right in the middle of the tour, and we’ll wrap up 2026 with a show at La Maroquinerie in Paris on November 21. We’re getting great feedback from the audience on this new album, it’s really satisfying. And we have some great shows coming up in 2027.
As for me, I’ve only seen you once, in December 2021 when you were opening for Igorrr. I imagine the show has evolved visually? How did you decide on the stage enhancements?
Bastien: Yes, the show has evolved with the new setlist. We’re putting a lot of work into the lighting, sound, interactions, and stage outfits, too. That tour with Igorrr was really cool, anyway!
What are Horskh’s next projects following the album’s release?
Bastien: We’ve got quite a few shows coming up, and we’ll be announcing some exciting news soon!
Which bands do you dream of playing with? I’ll let you imagine your dream show with Horskh as the opening act, and three other bands.
Bastien: Nine Inch Nails, Ghostemane, Health, Horskh.
Is there a work of art you’d compare Horskh’s music to? Whether it’s a movie, TV show, or book…
Bastien: Wow, there are quite a few! I’d say the world of David Lynch for the weird factor, Terminator for the intense and cyber vibe, and The Three-Body Problem because it’s one of the latest sci-fi books I’ve read and really loved. I also watched the series Silo recently and really enjoyed it!
So that was my last question. Thanks for your time, and I’ll leave you with the final words!
Bastien: Mute now.