In the Guise of Men-In The Guise of Men

Driving hard rock with a groove from France, In the Guise of Men are yet another great tribute to the nations budding scene. On their debut album (which is of course, eponymous) we are introduced to a driving band of prog with strange rhythms and an odd groove that somehow works. Their is a jazzy excellence here that shows the power that the music can have. I particularly love the off kilter riffing on some of the more aggressive tracks, it gives an almost Meshuggah like air to what is otherwise a very solid hard rock band, In the Guise of Men is definitely an interesting listen.

The songwriting on this record is absolutely stellar, I love the seamless transition between light and dark. While the majority of the music is made up of almost djenty rhythms and bizarre jazz fusion like solos there are also lighter and more elegant moments. They are joined up together perfectly for an end result that is inspiring, powerful, and simply innovative. Their is a certain power to be had too in the bands strange riffing, they have a vibe that is entirely their own and I get the feeling that they could very much profit from their unique sound.

In short, In the Guise of Men is a record that will introduce you to a band with a unique vibe, a group who are very much their own thing and not afraid to flaunt it. These 6 tracks will take you on a journey of Meshuggah tinged hard rock that is not afraid to go into more epic quasi acoustic passages. A tasty and pulsing release fans of djent should adore this record, yet it may be a bit beyond many average music fans. Still, this is a fascinating listen and points to the creation of an almost entirely new genre of hard rock. For those looking for the cutting edge, you have found it.

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