BIG|BRAVE – A Chaos Of Flowers

We’ve come to love Montreal trio BIG|BRAVE for its unique blend of hyper-saturation and folksy tunes inspired by Celtic tradition or Americana folk culture, which after all have very little to do with the metal aesthetic. A Chaos Of Flowers is the follow-up to Nature Morte, released in 2023. Comparisons with Chelsea Wolfe or Lingua Ignota are tempting, but no, let’s resist this too-easy exercise, as the use of acoustic guitars and Robin Wattie’s voice, which has nothing to do with metal or hardcore violence, invalidates any direct comparisons. Guitarist Mathieu Ball and drummer Tasy Hudson round out this trio to be what it is: one of the most singular in Canada. The tension between melodic folk and extreme saturation takes us elsewhere, with BIG|BRAVE finding a vein of its own, adding to this sweet-and-sour tension with some not inconsiderable post-rock arrangements, reminiscent of certain ethereal wave, ambient or darkwave recordings dating back to the ’80s and ’90s. From a feminine angle, the poetic lyrics explore human vulnerability, the torments of the isolated soul, the alienation of everyday life, the chaotic cohabitation of humans with nature and other burdens of existence. As the title of this excellent album makes clear, anxiety and distress go hand in hand with a genuine quest for beauty, wisdom and serenity, all of which are arguments for applauding BIG|BRAVE in their new album.