Sofy Major

The second full-length record from French metallic noise-mongers Sofy Major, Idolize is an example of excellent and intelligent musical execution, as well as a defiant refusal to accept defeat. The band travelled to NYC to record at Translator Audio, only to have the studio (along with all their recordings and gear) destroyed by Hurricane Sandy flooding. The situation was salvaged by Dave Curran (Unsane, Pigs), who leant the band replacement gear and set up new recording sessions for them with Andrew Schneider at Seaside Lounge and Spaceman Sound studios. While the narrative is on its own epic enough, the resulting record, Idolize, also holds its own. Full of driving rhythms and dense, compelling drumming, this record is at once unpredictable and engrossing. The riffs — sludgy and tar-burnt in tone — have an off-kilter franticness to them that constantly threatens to shake the songs apart, but the strong bass lines keep things anchored. Groovier tracks like "Steven The Slow" build tension, while wilder songs like "Frost Forward" fracture into sharp musical constellations. The energy and clarity of Idolize, combined with its excellent execution under difficult circumstances, make it both a triumph of aesthetic and will.