Les Glaives — Dans les mines

A nervous, ragged voice, a meticulous verbal anger that probes the soul’s depravity. If Rodrigue Sergeant sang in English, one would think one had a new dEUS album in hand. Supported at arm’s length by the Lille native who writes both the music and lyrics, "Dans les mines" is a long cruel poem that culminates with "Amour Retour" a double octave guitar decrescendo that literally dissolves, a negative reference to the Antwerp-based bands’ "Roses" whose outcome was noisy and cathartic. Sergeant’s innate (some say pig-headed) authority, is the drive behind this album. No one can deny that the tone of the album is consistent and the arrangements abundant. But the surprise lies in the completely renewed (mostly Belgian) lineup, some of whom are close to Zita Swoon, Alamo Race Track and Ghinzu, which is a milestone in the history of the late 90s-born band. Up to then, the singer-guitarist was a pure product of the Lille scene, playing a basic but honest grindcore with a few childhood friends. But tensions began to emerge amongst the group when some members wanted to add a caricatural dimension to their songs in the spirit of Gronibard or Hynnner vs HANT1s3. Rodrigue Sergeant was opposed to this and preferred to go off and do a solo album ("Tant qu’on peut") that was a return to the roots of French punk via a tribute to OTH. But due to the album being a little too cautious, the project failed which greatly unnerved him. As luck would have it, an impromptu encounter with Bert Gildersleeve (bass, vocals) and his clique at the Pukkelpop festival (all there as mere spectators) decided otherwise. We now know what ensued.