p u i s s a n c e
back in control - CMI.63

In between the tones of harmony and kindness is harsh and raw pictures. Puissance is back in control and deliver a very diverse and as usual, music like this is not easily transformed into simple words. The album has a rich flavour and offers a lot, both in the musical experience as well as with the feelings and pictures it create.

Sparse, militant beats woven with faery-flutes and myriad melodies. Spoken over this thin mesh of sound are the archaic, doomsaying vocals that while not meshing with the music carry a familiar tune all on their own. Track 3 is reminiscent of early In the Nursery at times... (Koda) and it holds a certain patriotism to the apocolyptic visions spoken. Track 4 is a mesh of operatic loops and static along with a recording of a man (sampled I believe) speaking about death methods. Track 5 is again, very militant... overlayed with vocals such as, "..Kneel to your superior creatures, you must die for us, you must do everything we say.." Followed by thunderous roaring and perhaps gunfire which weaves back into a choral/synth with some more demeaning vocals. 6 is renaissance/circus... with dramatic synth overlays at times, actually very well layed out and attractive- reminds me of Leaether Strips Serenade for the Dead but more organic/fey. 7 is a very 'atmospheric' peice, the sort that makes you feel like you are standing in a large, dark room with a light overhead which is swinging back and forth and you know that the interrogator is on the way. The samples deal with dominance/control... screeching- eerie. nice. To finish off this disk we go back to the militant beats, flutes and of course the doomsaying storyteller. Over all, this album impressed me musically- It does a good job in encircling the senses... the message being given is alarming- But what on CMI isn't alarming?!

Review by Evoltwin8