This album, Grorr’s third, is in three parts about three different lives: The Fighter, The Worker, The Dreamer. It’s not as artificially conceptual as it may sound, or at least it didn’t seem so to me. In their previous album Grorr took on the life of ants. They do like a challenge.
To their credit, this band from Pau in France has plenty in their armoury to present as many faces as they want. Musically, this is what they do. Heavily progressive, “The Unknown Citizens” starts in a technical and flowery way. There’s a hint of electronic sound, but roaring djent dominates the landscape. It’s pandemonium. Actually it’s not but that’s the track title. It’s heavy, gnarly, growly and altogether in the region of death metal but in all this metal flourish there’s a symphonic touch. It’s very dark and edgy. The singer can’t sing but he can growl and “Pandemonium” is dramatic in its progression. As we head into deeper and darker territory, the electronic touch is strange and disarming, weird in fact. It’s rather militaristic and the symphonic end is unusual. This neatly runs into “Facing Myself”. The symphonic sampler makes it sound as if a trumpet is blazing. The djent man is in full flow alongside him. The singer may be The Fighter but his imploring voice is weak. It’s a pity about the flat vocals. Give that man a throat lozenge. But the progressive djent is impressive, while the drum’s pattern adds intrigue. The mix is peculiar but I like it. “Oblivion” follows and an exotic folk rhythm, which I confess I wasn’t expecting on this album of surprises, transforms into exciting modern metal. Again the mix is odd. It’s like having peas with custard but it’s really interesting. A volley of throbbing metal superimposes itself on this strange ambiance, before “Oblivion” returns to a pagan-sounding mandolin or similar. The vocals are lousy as ever. A symphonic refrain emerges over the heaviness before it ends industrially.
“Don’t Try to Fight …” starts with the sound of a demented old clock before getting down to the business of growly deathcore. It all somehow comes together even though it shouldn’t have any right to do so. The demented clock reminded me of the half notes of Rumanian rhythms, but this goes as quickly as it came and this inexplicably hypnotic track bursts into a North African style harmony. And a jolly North African section follows. It’s like listening to Arkan or Acyl. After smelling the bazaar on “You Know You’re Trapped …”, “But Still Hope …” is another track with a strong beat and melody. The keyboard has a retro aspect as the singer belts through the song, which has an insistent beat and the occasional colourful explosion. The distant keyboard sound is accompanied by a strange sort of mystical chant.
“Unique” is now slower and more methodical. There’s that faint folk style ring in the background. Grorr now deliver the song in a measured tone. As it blends into “A New Circle”, the music is ambient and hypnotising in its progression, expanding at one point into the exotic tones of the sitar, which suits it well. The sitar continues into “Alone at Last”. The musicians of Grorr create a mystical atmosphere through the combination of metal and the strange and exotic sounds they emit. The wall of heaviness returns, like Arkan again. The drum patters, the singer beseeches us and growls while the music takes on an ethnic edge. It’s full of excitement and flavour. The colourful rhythm finally takes us to the shores of the river Ganges. And that, I guess, is where The Dreamer dreams.
“The Unknown Citizens” is power packed with imagination and has an abundance of exotic and interesting ingredients. I can’t say I liked everything about it but I take my hat off to Grorr for their originality. Having been tantalised by this one, I’m interested to hear their previous album “Anthill”. I think they’re on to something here. I look forward to the next instalment.
(8/10 Andrew Doherty)
http://vicisolumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-unknown-citizens
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