In the vast landscape of contemporary progressive rock, few bands possess the clarity of vision to perceive reality through so many concurrent prisms. Hailing from Bordeaux, Seven Eyed Crow has spent over a decade constructing a unique sonic microcosmos. Their name—evoking a crow with seven eyes capable of seeing through past, present, future, hell, purgatory, paradise, and dream—perfectly captures the profound depth of their artistic intent. This is a musical laboratory where, since 2013, the foundational alchemy of guitarist Aurélien Boileau and the original bassist Tom began distilling the most refined elements of modern metal.
The road to their fourth full-length album, Emerge, was paved with the dark paths of their debut Dark Ways to the Sun (2015), the controlled unease of Organized Chaos (2018), and the crystallization of their style on the Icarus EP. Today, the band presents itself as a powerful, ambitious hybrid where the technical precision of Karnivool meets the emotional volatility of Leprous and the atmospheric expanse of Oceansize. On Emerge, this five-man machine, bolstered by the fresh groove of bassist Yoann Roy alongside guitarist Alexandre Pouzioux and drummer Frédéric Lagorce, delivers ten chapters of extraordinary intensity. Hovering over it all is the charismatic voice of Jerome “Jay” Kloeckner, whose visionary lyrics serve as a mirror for the uncertain future of our world.
The journey begins with “Gaslighted”, a violent awakening in a world of manipulation and toxic shadows. Here, the Bordeaux-based machine shows its teeth for the first time—a stifling, polyrhythmic section by Roy and Lagorce builds the bedrock for predatory yet noble riffs that cut through space like a scalpel, giving the listener no room to breathe. The following step, “Eyes Wide Shut”, pulses with existential anxiety and claustrophobia, where echoes of jazzy lightness paradoxically amplify the weight of post-rock structures. It is a frame of voluntary blindness toward an approaching cataclysm, where every tempo change feels like another crack in the fragile glass of our stability. A true technical masterpiece occurs in “Mind Blowing Signs”, featuring a guest appearance by Mathieu Pascal from Gorod. His guitar solo slices the ether with surgical precision and mathematical calculatedness, lending the composition a futuristic, almost dehumanized edge that contrasts with Jay’s searing, emotional vocals.
From this high altitude, we descend into “Until”, a track of incredible "aerated" structure, allowing the listener to soak in a noble French melancholy that soothes the wounds left by the previous storm. This state of suspension flows seamlessly into the intriguing “Weird Boy”, where the band most boldly toys with form, intertwining a dense, syncopated groove with progressive weight. It is an unpredictable composition, full of rhythmic traps and sudden turns that keep us in constant uncertainty about where this sonic kite is flying. This energy finds its apocalypse in “We All Shall Fall”, the darkest point of the program. The guest appearance of Denis Cornardeau adds another layer of guitar equilibrium, creating a poignant, almost visual record of the collapse of values so suggestively highlighted in Jerome’s lyrics.
The second half of the record is a desperate fight for light and regained agency. “Happiness Injunction” hits us with a mandate for joy within the oppression of capitalism, building an ironic contrast between its catchy motifs and bitter themes. It soon gives way to the melancholic “To My Old Man”—an intensely personal, almost intimate confession directed toward the past and paternal figures. In “Hello Stranger”, the keyboard landscapes of Christophe Ithurritze emerge, introducing an element of spherical depth and cosmic distance that prepares the ground for the final “Visions”. It is here that the seven-eyed crow finally unfurls its wings, connecting all seven dimensions into one powerful, multi-layered suite that is not just the end of a record, but an authentic, screaming call for emotional and intellectual awakening.
Listening to Emerge, it is hard to escape the feeling that Seven Eyed Crow has created a total work where mathematical complexity serves pure emotion. This album redefines the concept of a progressive crossover, proving that in Bordeaux, they can sculpt sound with a precision that would rival the masters from the Antipodes. Jerome and his bandmates have not just recorded a new album; they have created a sonic compass for times of uncertainty. If you seek truth, courage, and world-class craftsmanship—this latest French work is an absolute necessity. It is nearly fifty minutes of sonic therapy that challenges codes and calls for éveil—the awakening we so desperately need. Allow yourself to be invited into this world; it is one of those records where you truly feel that the crow from Bordeaux has finally spread its wings as wide as it deserves, carrying us far beyond the horizons of our own existence.
