Öxxö XööX is a French experimental black metal project, which is the brainchild of Laurent Lunoir, of Igorrr. Igorrr’s music is original, with influences ranging from Venetian Snares and breakcore to Atari Teenage Riot and black metal. It twists and turns in unexpected directions, without pausing for breath.
But over the years, since forming XööX, Lunoir has constructed three albums that have allowed his creativeness to soar, because particularly on ‘Ÿ’, there are a lot of experimental elements to the sound. This leads to a chaotic, complex, intriguing, and sometimes disjointed record.
Each Öxxö XööX album is part of an alchemical process which involves an inner holy war in a journey to find God. Lunoir refers to this as the Light, resulting in each album being a step closer. In order to take this journey, Lunoir recruited two equally creative musicians who would help him with this vision, Rïcïnn (Laure Le Prunenec) and Isarnos (Thomas Jacquelin).
Ÿ is an interrogative album because it represents a choice between light and darkness. But it also represents human growth, with the branches rising to the heavens. It twists and turns, pulling the listener in all sorts of directions.
The first track ‘443’ has a dark sound to it, evocative of a funeral. A slow build-up of guitars and gutturals gives way to a dramatic assault. The chanting and uncomfortable chugging guitars begin the journey.
On ‘D’, the pace quickens. There are operatic elements and choir vocals which enhance the atmosphere. The drums combine well with the harsh vocals because they feel like a battle cry. The tempo increases, with blast beats and a breakdown. The overlapping guitars make for an epic compelling listen.
‘9C639’ is a unique listen, with operatic vocals mixed with demonic screams. It incorporates chopped guitars which add to the voracious assault. The twists and turns keep the listener hooked across the record. Furthermore, the production is massive, bringing together black metal riffs and strings, leaving the listener amazed. The backing vocals on ‘NS2’ add a whole new layer to the sludgy off-kilter guitars.
The howls on this album could represent the war going on between Heaven and Earth, while the filtered vocals on Lëīth Säë’ are both evil and intense. ‘3ën’ is mostly an organ playing, before transitioning into a disjointed mini solo. It’s spooky, with machine gun sounds representing the final battle.
Ÿ is one of the most unique albums you’re going to hear this year. It’s original, and you have to listen to it a few times to understand its complexity. However, it is well worth the journey.
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos