Ogives - La Memoire Des Orages [Sub Rosa 544]

Released via the long standing experimental imprint that is Sub Rosa as their cat.no 544 - !!! - on April 21st, 2k23 is "La Memoire Des Orages", the debut album by Ogives - an experimental and avantgarde-informed octet led and headed by composer Pavel Tchikov and drummer x poet Alexis Van Dooselaere which is drawing influences from a wide range of musical styles and periods contemporary and ancient, even harking back to Byzantine and Old Roman musical traditions whilst also employing modernist electronic textures, fever'ish episodes and muscular (Post)Rock riffs over the course of eight pieces and a total playtime of 75+ minutes. These, at first glance contradicting, influences provide a journey and musical ark that takes us from a solemn, almost ecclesiastical and sacred setting straight to a minimalist moshpit of doom, provide ease with echoes of tender rural and unscathed (Nordic)Folk songs of yore, fuse an inward-looking songwriter-attitude with DarkJazz whilst touching base with psychedelic Stoner x DoomRock x SludgeMetal in songs like "Black Furrows" whereas "Patience" seems to indulge in raw, captivating, slightly Jazz-infused DesertRock before unleashing a thunderstorm of hefty Chemical Beats as foundation for more heavy riff action just to present a rough layout of the musical contents and curveballs this album holds. This being said we feel that "La Memoire Des Orages" wouldn't necessarily be an album that resonates with the typical longtime fan and follower of Sub Rosa as a label and seems to be quite a deviation from the imprints ever meandering sonic path which probably would've been a better fit for outlets like Ipecac Recordings or Southern Lord and the likes of.

Album artwork on Instagram!