Broknface - 2024 - Leave to Live

(15:48; M&O Music)






















Track list:
1. Sunscars 3:28
2. Vanish or Vanquish 3:11
3. After 3:11
4. Discount Success 2:49
5. Poisoned by Mom 3:09
    
Line-up:   
Mara Salahou - vocals
Tojawak - guitars
Antoine Henry - bass
Sacha Davidovich - drums


French band Broknface is a fairly fresh addition to the French music scene. They have been active for just a bit over one calendar year from what I can see, and appear to be very active indeed and with two EPs to their name so far. "Leave to Live" is the most recent of their EPs, and was released through French label M&O Music in the spring of 2024.

Nu metal is how I'd categorize the type of music we get on this preoduction, with a handful of concise tunes that each clock in somewhere around the three minute mark. The riffs and rhythms tends to be of the staccato and often playful variety, and whenever a bit more flow is ongoing the word alternative has a tendency to pop up in my mind. With very occasional lapses into slightly unexpected landscapes, such as doom metal for instance. Or, as is the case with the concluding tune on this EP, soul music.

But it is the staccato and energetic patterns of nu metal that is the dominating factor here. Explored in an at times expressive manner, with a vocalist just as able at regular singing as of speaking  out the lyrics in a flowing hip hop style or giving a more aggro style hardcore inspired spitting delivery. Otherwise we get some songs that focus more on the tight and energetic aspects of nu metal while others appear to have a greater focus on being more expressive and even borderline experimental.

While I do find many fine and interesting moments on this EP, including certain details that made me think about good, old US band Fishbone, as a whole I suspect this EP will be limited to have more of a strict demographic impact than a more widespread one. With those fond of nu metal explored with youthful energy and creativity probably being the main and certainly the key audience for this EP in my opinion.

Olav M. Björnsen, June 2024

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/brok.n.face
https://www.m-o-music.com/

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