LA RÉPUBLIQUE DOMINICALE DU ZOO

It has been some time since I last reviewed this French quartet, as this album was released just last year but previously, I had only come across 2013's 'Jesus L'aventurier'. There have been two more albums between that and this one, which is their seventh studio release, featuring the same quartet who have been there since their inception more than 15 years ago, Gregory Pozzoli (guitar, vocals), Thomas Larsen (drums, vocals), Arnaud M'Doihoma (bass, vocals), and Philippe Prebet (guitar, vocals). This is uncompromising RIO, and there is no doubt that this is a genre I have come to appreciate far more in recent years. Here we have four musicians who create complex sounds, never moving away from a challenge, often using vocals and indecipherable lyrics as yet another instrument.

It is not music which can be played in the background and should only be played on headphones when the listener has the time to actively do just that, as although there are only four people playing, they are creating a huge amount of sound and one either lets it wash over and get none of the benefit or jump right inside into what at times can be a truly terrifying world. The music is abrasive, with riffs which can cut like a knife, there is nothing gentle about this at all, it is all about challenging the listener to come to terms with what is being presented to them.

I enjoyed this album far more than the last one I heard but can't make up my mind if it is because of me or the music itself, but what I can say is that if you want some solid attacking RIO to take you to a new level then this is certainly worthy of investigation.