BBCC King Michael II & The Trial Of The Axe
A failed superhero. An alcoholic vampire. A macho knight. A tree turned lumberjack. At the center, an axe on trial. Who’s responsible, the tool or the hand? The act or the desire?
This is the post-glam, grotesque and surreal world of Strasbourg band BBCC’s new album, King Michael II and the Trial of the Axe. It pushes beyond the energy of its predecessor, wider in scope and sharper in contrast, where synths seem to laugh and fiction spills directly into the sound.
Formerly known as Crocodiles INC., BBCC evolved from indie rock (Heidentum, 2015) to a more angular kraut-leaning phase (Altered States of Consciousness, 2020), before exploring conceptual terrain with Michael (2023). After several shows and screenings in France and Germany, the quintet now leans further into a more baroque and embodied direction without losing momentum.
Musically, BBCC thrives on hypnotic repetition. Motifs snap into place within seconds and refuse to let go. The drums are fully live, pulsing and physical, driving everything forward. The energy builds and tips into euphoria. Cerebral, direct and physical.
The production is vivid and slightly off-center, structurally loose in all the right ways. There’s an art-pop instinct that echoes Brian Eno’s most adventurous period, alongside bursts of synthetic brightness and playful luminosity reminiscent of Kate NV. Vocals can be chanted, almost angular, before easing into something softer and more open.
Some tracks pull back, letting melody settle into a new, fragile softness that reframes the album’s weight.
BBCC goes big. It’s ostentatious and fully committed. Beneath the singularity lies immediate pleasure. Beneath the complexity, clarity. You may not know exactly where it’s heading, but you’re already in.
Produced by Théo Cloux (Tioklu), the album unfolds like a satirical fable, sometimes narrated, sometimes chanted, often sung. Analog synths, syncopated live drums, romantic guitars, flute and saxophone coexist in a tightly layered architecture.
01. The Axe (ouverture)
02. Celestial Body of light
03. The Death of slumberjack
04. Mr Blacksmith
05. Castleman
06. Campfire
07. Amour Courtois (interlude)
08. Knight Knight part I
09. Knight Knight part II
10. Accessory to murder
11. Bone Appetit
12. Sanguinis Karaokus
13. The king is dead, long live the undead queen (epilogue)
