Man and machine is a topic that is currently discussed way too often. Nowadays, we have AI chatboxes such as Chatgpt which take up a huge chunk of our time daily. Even though Chatgpt cannot be used for making and recording music, there are different forms of technologies such as drum machines that can be used to create different instrumental sounds, some of which are simply impossible to replicate on a handheld instrument. This may go against what some people may consider as music creation, others, such as French musician Gautier Serre, who is more famously known by his stage name Igorrr, think differently. This project combines elements of electronic music with black metal, and the results are not songs. What comes out of an Igorrr track is simply an orchestral piece, designed with different passages and style changes throughout. This has given the French genius the reputation of making some of the most chaotic and unpredictable music in the alternative scene for around two decades. On Amen, Igorrr continues to go down this route, with the help of some extremely well-established collaborators to make this album one of his most versatile yet.
‘Headbutt’ kicks off with an almost childish sounding piano melody before the rest of the Igorrr band join in, giving the listener a haunting ambient shock. The vocals here match the drums, which sound unbelievable, and only get better throughout this record. Towards the middle of the song, Gautier incorporates the dubstep sounding machine special effects which gives the listener the illusion that this hybrid should not work, but just as expected from an Igorrr album, it works all too well and fits flawlessly within the music. As a result, this is the first piece on this record that truly sounds innovative.
The following track is very simple in its execution but is performed flawlessly. The song kicks off with one of the most eerie choir parts on this album, but the next section includes elements of the harp, acoustic guitar and mesmerising vocals from Lily Refrain before the drums and electronic elements kick in. This cycle gets repeated before Lily starts delivering more distorted vocals, as everything starts feeling more hectic, and distorted, and before we realize, the blast beats return with the harsh vocals delivered fantastically from Marthe Alexandre to close this monumental piece of music off.
‘ADHD’ is another simpler song, but this time, is more electronic in its design, which is obvious from the beginning as the drums performed by Remi Serafino duel with the electronic sounds Gautier produces. The next section of the track is where things really get more creative as the synths here are more prominent and start to play a melody which gets repeated throughout the four-and-a-half-minute long piece. After another drums and drum machine section, the same synth melody returns, but this time with more instruments and vocals backing it. This is repeated until the end of this track, but the melody gets extremely techno-like before the song wraps up with a hectic drum fill.
There are a couple of tracks that are just over five minutes long here, and the first one is ‘Infestis’, a song that at times feels like a metalcore breakdown, and at others feels as if Dimmu Borgir wrote it. The harsh vocals here fit a lot better than in some of the other songs on this record, and it could be because this particular song is more rhythmically focused. Despite this, the electronic elements still come through throughout this song. The ending of this song, whilst still very much focused on rhythm, incorporates the same creepy choirs from earlier, adding another element of surprise and chaos to Amen, as if there was not enough already!
‘Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism’ is a simple song which focuses on the builds and crescendos it will include. This one feels as if Wardruna married Fleshgod Apocalypse, it is that cinematic and unique. The electronic elements here are incorporated to perfection as they do not overpower the elements that help this track stand out, they are just there to accompany, which is something which this album lacks in sometimes, but with that being said, this particular piece of music is a home run with how every single element which is included in this album is incorporated.
In terms of the music, this is not your traditional album listening experience, there are no verse chorus songs, this is an album that should be approached as if you are listening to Bach for example. The music in Amen comes in passages, and each song is designed to give you a completely different musical experience. Some songs manage to do this perfectly, and others do not, but it is the innovation which makes Igorrr unique, and with people such as Scott Ian from Anthrax collaborating on a song here, evidently Gautier is doing something right, even if these collaborations do not always work well here.
Overall, this is easily one of the most unique albums you will come across this year if you are a metalhead or enjoy alternative music. The musicality on display is top notch, as well as the vocals, but it is the use of machinery and electronic sounds which truly makes Igorrr stand out. This leads back to the AI debate, is it acceptable to use AI to help us out and let it be our ally, or do you think it will become our enemy? In the case of music, it has already started to become our enemy in some genres, but if we all learn how to use technology like Igorrr and incorporate it into music just as he does by continuing to use actual instruments and vocalists, perhaps we may find a new ally after all.
Igorrr: Amen – Out 19 September 2025 (Metal Blade)
