Borgne, being the French word for ‘one-eyed’ is hardly what I would call an apt name for the Swiss Industrial Black Metal duo that uses it as their moniker. For one, they are playing a sub-genre of Black Metal that is not only very rare, but rather unique in its own right. Combine this with a strong drive to innovate and evolve yet never straying too far from their roots, then you have a band that, over the span of nearly thirty years, have taken the original Black Metal formula and given it a somehow more metallic, sterile sound. And having perfected it (as much as you can perfect something that is by its very definition constantly changing) across eleven Full-lengths, two Splits and one EP, their most recent release simultaneously manages to feel both brand new and as well-known as a well-worn pair of boots.

Renaître de ses Fanges (which is French for ‘Reborn From The Mire’, perhaps a slight nod towards the fact that they were largely silent as performers during the global lockdown. But I do admit that is perhaps a stretch) contains eight tracks adding up to sixty-five minutes of playtime, for of these being an instrumental intro no doubt added to help set the scene and slowly build atmosphere. And even without it, the record has it in spades.

Looking back at my review of their last two releases (and the scores I have them), I can see a trend – Borgne as a band and perhaps more as a concept, seems to be growing on me, alongside the ever-increasing gritty, industrial sound. It somehow takes me back to the Goth events spread around my country nearly twenty years ago, while at the same time being unmistakably not something you would expect to come across at such a venue.
I like and welcome the duality, and as a result this is my highest praised Borgne release to date.

Recommended to fans of their kinsmen Darkspace in particular, due to the slight other-worldly-ness they succeeded in miring their presence in this time around.

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