The departure of singer/clown Boris from Leng Tch'e can only be qualified as a severe loss. His raw vocals, funny faces and rancid live act gave the band that little something extra. Much praise should go to Serge Kasongo, who does a fucking great job in replacing him. Judging by his menacingly brutal and convincing roar, you do not want to pick a bar fight with him, since chances are you will be the one ending beaten to a bloody pulp. He gives Leng Tch'e a scary, ruthless touch that makes the impact factor of their razorgrind even bigger.
On "Hypomanic", the musical formula of "Marasmus" (2007) has been kept more or less intact. The varied death/grind with a big fat stoner twist still kicks you in the teeth on various tempos. That is not to say that the band is applying for a spot at the infamous Roadburn festival, but the rocking drive in songs like "Violence Does Even Justice" or "The Stockholm Malevolence" and the all-out doom track "Misleading Innuendos" make sure that both the record as well as the live show stay interesting right until the end. Speaking of live shows: it is to be hoped that the nine minute closing track and brilliant piece de resistance "Perfervid Odyssey" will find a place in the set: what an utterly enthralling monstrous riff-fest! With "Hypomanic" Leng Tch'e consolidate their status as one of the most exciting and varied deathgrind bands of today. |
