Përl – R(a)ve (2013)

With a very unique and aurally pleasing sound, today we have France’s Përl and their release “R(a)ve”. Distributed through Apathia Records, every time we get a promo pack from them we are always in for a very unique musical experience thanks to their excellent taste in bands and releases. Playing a quite interesting combination of Progressive Rock/Metal elements with unique atmospheric elements and lead by a very strong female vocalist, Përl delivers eight very different and engaging tracks in this release.

Opening with the very elegant and mysterious “Tidjan”, the band’s unique sound immediately highlights the sultry voice of Aline Boussaroque. The blend of progressive elements with distorted guitars is quite unique and very well-spaced to allow the vocals to truly shine in this song. Playful tracks like “Fusce Deliria” show the band’s abilities to craft intricate melodies with super catchy passages and funky vibes. The lounge-like “Insomnie” is quite a hypnotic track that focuses more on Aline’s vocals and the band’s atmospheric elements, creating a very unique listening experience.

With all lyrics in French, tracks like the experimental “Parenthèse 56”sound very blunt and to the point, in this trip-hop inspired track, the band shows a very dark and different side to them. Our favorite track in this release is the more conventional “…Rave” and it’s very upbeat tempo and lighter mood. The powerful riffs of “Fils de rien” make it a very strong track that nicely contrasts potent guitars with solemn female vocals and great atmospheric elements.

Closing with the complex “Je songe”, Përl managed to catch us off our feet when the female vocals got a bit more aggressive than what we expected. Nonetheless this track is also pretty different and quite enjoyable. As a whole, “R(a)ve” is quite a unique release that combines many elements in order to create very pleasing music with some disturbing contrasts that work wonders for this band. If you are looking for something very original and superbly executed, look no further and get this excellent release.

Release: February 1st, 2013

Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal

Country: France