{"id":85625,"date":"2025-09-25T22:47:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T22:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/85625\/"},"modified":"2025-09-25T22:47:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T22:47:08","slug":"review-brevine-lhotse-the-progressive-subway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/85625\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Br\u00e9vine – Lhotse – The Progressive Subway"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by Cory<\/strong><\/a> on September 25, 2025September 25, 2025<\/p>\n

\"\"Artwork by: Anais Chareyre-M\u00e9jan<\/p>\n

Style: Post-metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: The Ocean, Isis, Heretoir, Kauan
Country: Switzerland
Release date: 12 September 2025<\/p>\n

A welcome part of writing for a site that spotlights lesser-known bands is the sheer number of debut albums we end up covering. About a third of my 2025 reviews have been of bands\u2019 first LPs, before they\u2019ve had a chance to build a following, and each time there\u2019s an extra bit of intrigue in seeing what\u2019s on offer. It\u2019s no surprise that most debuts I\u2019ve reviewed this year are pretty rough\u2014not every band can release something as polished as Ancient Death<\/strong>\u2019s Ego Dissolution<\/a>\u2014but regardless, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling shining a light on them (even if it\u2019s a harsh one).\u00a0<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s turn that beam toward Lhotse, the debut album of Swiss post-metal band Br\u00e9vine<\/strong>. I discovered the album through Instagram, of all places: Sg\u00e0ile<\/strong>\u2019s Tony Dunn gave the release a shout, and being a fan of his,1<\/a> I figured he\u2019d be a guy with good taste. Named after one of the world\u2019s tallest mountains, Lhotse\u2019s forty-one minutes consist of just four colossal tracks, providing a blend of soaring post-rock, weighty post-metal, and sections of shimmering blackgaze. It all sounds promising, but does this lofty debut ascend Br\u00e9vine<\/strong> to a Himalayan height among 2025\u2019s newcomers?<\/p>\n

Despite Lhotse\u2019s ambitious scope, it\u2019s quickly apparent that Br\u00e9vine<\/strong> aren\u2019t afraid to rely on simple musical building blocks. \u201cC\u00eeme\u201d begins with a minute of light ambience that gives way to a basic drum beat and rudimentary bass line\u2014something you might write not long after learning how to play each instrument. But the combination is indisputably catchy and sets an effective foundation upon which the band can lay new textures and build atmosphere. \u201cAscension,\u201d meanwhile, is carried by guitars that don\u2019t provide much in the way of outright creativity, yet their varied dynamics and melodicism keep the track engaging, enhanced further by plenty of synth atmospherics. Even when Lhotse\u2019s sound is at its most robust\u2014take the ending of album-closer \u201cThalweg\u201d\u2014each layer is fairly simple. Br\u00e9vine<\/strong> have the ear to make this work, offering ideas that are compelling enough on their own while also being exceedingly listenable and leaving room for development. The downside, though, is that this sets a high floor but relatively low ceiling, especially when the songs are long and could benefit from a few bolder compositional ideas.<\/p>\n

Lhotse\u2019s biggest strength is its thick atmosphere. Br\u00e9vine<\/strong> capture both rawness and gentle warmth; a jagged mountain ridge and a cozy cave. The band\u2019s sound is cohesive but not homogeneous, within and across songs. Standout track \u201cTemp\u00eate,\u201d for instance, moves fluidly from a dreamy Pink Floyd<\/strong>-like intro to a heavy, stormy midsection and a luminous, blackgaze ending. \u201cAscension\u201d has some deep sonic heft, while \u201cThalweg\u201d features an abundance of airy, almost triumphant post-rock. Each time Lhotse\u2019s atmosphere shifts, it feels measured and natural\u2014like navigating the changing conditions of a single mountain rather than venturing into a new range altogether.<\/p>\n

However, the instrumental arrangements don\u2019t always move as smoothly as the atmosphere. At times, the band shift into a new part that they haven\u2019t quite built up to, resulting in some transitions being a bit too stark. Prime examples of this are how the verse of \u201cThalweg\u201d jumps in after the subdued intro, and the same track\u2019s outro being introduced by a somewhat random pick scrape. The clean vocals are also a slight sticking point: although they\u2019re well placed and provide a nice complement to the harsh vocals, they often ring a little flat and tonally uninspired. A more emotive delivery would better fit music this expressive.<\/p>\n

Lhotse may not quite be at the pinnacle of this year\u2019s debuts, but it\u2019s a strong first effort\u2014the record is undeniably compelling in its atmosphere and eminently easy to enjoy on the whole. Br\u00e9vine <\/strong>have the fundamentals down, and it\u2019s not hard to imagine the band elevating their songwriting and climbing up the post-metal ranks. Their debut certainly shows a promising foundation. Until then, the trek up Lhotse has been perfectly pleasant, and I\u2019ll be keeping an eye on Br\u00e9vine<\/strong> as they set toward greater peaks.<\/p>\n

Recommended tracks: Ascension, Temp\u00eate
You may also like: Sg\u00e0ile<\/a>, Obscure Sphinx<\/a>, The Lotus Matter<\/a>
Final verdict: 7\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Related links: Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a> | Metal-Archives<\/a><\/p>\n

Label: These Hands Melt \u2013 Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Official Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Br\u00e9vine<\/strong><\/strong> is:
\u2013 Matt Favrr (bass, vocals)
\u2013 Rayan Tengblad (guitars, backing vocals)
\u2013 Finn (drums)<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n