Y’all know that metal trope when the song starts with a triumphant riff? Imagine that, but with a saxophone taking the lead instead of the standard guitar. Yeah. It’s something. And the fun doesn’t even end there; we’re just getting the ball rolling.
Today’s premiere comes courtesy of French instrumental progressive metal act CKRAFT, whose jazz-informed take on heavy riffage feels right at home when mentioned alongside the likes of Ex Eye or Yakuza, with a bit of a more Gojira/Car Bomb-inspired modern metal twist on that established niche. The guitars are a bit less knotty and more djent-y, if that makes sense. I’m loving the sound, though – it’s clear that CKRAFT are C-rious about their KRAFT (okay I’ll stop), but they are having fun with it as well. It’s evident that the band, formed in Paris almost a decade ago and consisting of accordionist (!!) Charles Kieny; saxophonist Théo Nguyen Duc Long; guitarist Antoine Morisot; bassist Marc Karapetian; and drummer William Bur, have spent a long time honing their chops.
Uncommon Grounds album cover courtesy of Olivier Laude
“Pageantrivia” is partially based on a hymn called “Salve Regina (tonus solemnis)”, which could be corny when used by a band looking for a cheap gimmick or lazy integration. In the hands of CKRAFT, however, it becomes a potent contemplation of government and religious oppression. As explained by the band’s composer and de facto leader Kieny, they
‘picked the chant for its clear, strong, epic melody. But also because ‘regina’ means ‘queen.’ Let me explain: I was in London in September 2022 and attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, along with hundreds of thousands of people. I was truly amazed at the ‘pageantry’ of these ceremonies. It can really make you feel that your life is quite ‘trivial’ compared to those of monarchs. This feeling was a strong inspiration to write a new piece for CKRAFT.
‘The emphasis on the insignificance of our individual lives is embedded in most Gregorian chants. This whole religious spiel sounds like a load of nonsense when you’re not religious yourself. Same as the queen’s funeral ceremonies, it’s hard to comprehend if you’re just watching it from your TV. But if you look at human history, it seems that religions and kings are worthy enough reasons to kill zillions of us. So there I was linking these ideas together: What’s valuable? What’s trivial? Us? Religion? Royalty? The pageantry of ceremonies?‘
That’s quite a lot to take in, and a good look at the profound thought put into CKRAFT‘s music. To unwind a little, let’s just have a look at their new music video for “Pageantrivia” together. I’ll see you on the other side.
Befitting the themes and inspirations behind “Pageantrivia” (nice wordplay by the way!), the video you just witnessed was shot in a monastery in Metz, France. The stained glass windows and solemn architecture lends a certain mood to the visuals, while the band professionally tears through the song without much fanfare. It’s a standard performance video with a more sophisticated backdrop, which I can appreciate. Says Kieny about their choice of location:
‘The video was shot in Metz, the medieval city in eastern France, at Chapelle des Trinitaires. It’s part of a deconsecrated 19th-century convent that is nowadays used for concerts and cultural events. That’s one of the things I absolutely love about Europe: you get to have cultural events and modern stuff hosted in these magnificent buildings, steeped in history.‘
I’m genuinely enjoying what CKRAFT are laying down for us here, both in terms of the actual music and all the mental and physical work that goes into it. Musically and philosophically, these guys make sure that the end product isn’t just run-of-the-mill playlist fodder, and that’s an admirable trait. Progressive in all senses of the word, CKRAFT are pushing boundaries both in- and outward by borrowing from the past and pushing those elements into the future through their combined efforts.
All this should ideally give you a heightened appetite for more CKRAFT, and if so, you’re in luck! A full-length record, Uncommon Grounds, is looming on the horizon. You can see the album cover embedded above, actually. This means that on January 17, we will be treated to even more of the band’s forward-thinking compositions; if you want, you can pre-order the record either via Bandcamp or Bigcartel. You should also consider giving CKRAFT a follow on your social media of choice (Facebook | Instagram | Youtube).
Band pictures courtesy of Manuel Braun
