Eryn Non Dae.-Abandon Of The Self

Self-Release/Indepepednet
2018

French metal band Eryn Non Dae., formed in 2001 as END and currently comprised of Mathieu Nogues (vocals), Franck Quintin (guitars), Yann Servanin (guitars), Mickaël André (bass), and Julien Rufié (drums), makes their long-awaited return with "Abandon Of The Self". It was back in mid-December of 2013 when I first covered this dark & experimental metal band (link). . It's taken them close to five and a half years to release a follow-up to "Meliora". Released on March 9th, 2018, "Abandon Of The Self" is the group's third full-length album and their most haunting release to date! Once again mixing in elements of post-rock, depressive rock, sludge rock (mostly in regards to the gnarly guitar riffs!), post-metal, modern metal, and extreme metal, Eryn None Dae. (now coming at you with an extra period at the end!) strikes back at a scene that has dared to forget about them! Heavy, harsh, and as abrasive as ever(!), this bleak and extremely-atmospheric album never loses it's focus...even as it comes crashing towards you like a runaway train possessed by the devil himself!! Comprised of seven wicked wasteland songs, with the shortest one ("Eclipse") clocking in at 4:31 and the longest one ("Halo") running past the 10 minute mark!, "Abandon Of The Self" is like every nightmare I have ever had-only 1,000 times as EXTREME!! As someone who doesn't mind the zombie themes, demonic appearances, and slasher filled moments that constitute an avenge night's rest for me*, that apt-description comes with crocked smile and a pair of devil horns throw high up in the air!! Available on compact disc, vinyl, as a digital download, this 7-track recording is the absolute best studio release that this French outfit has ever released! Dark & dreary, angry, and filled to the tilt with apocalyptic-like rage, "Abandon Of The Self" gets a 10 out of 10 grade and comes with my highest recommendations!!


*I take several medications that are known to cause vivid dreams. At this point in time I have grown so accustomed to the extreme nightmares that it more surprising when I don't have one!

Sunday Singles: Dawn Of 7th Sky-"Island in the Sky"

Self-Release/Independent
2017

Dawn Of 7th Sky is a post-hardcore/metal band from Aix-en-Provence (France). Fronted by lead vocalist Marika, Dawn Of 7th Sky released this single in the summer of 2017. Backed up by the menacing yet melodic track "Persecuted" (a rhythmic post-metal meets nu metal number which clocks in at over six minutes!), "Island in the Sky" is as beastly as it is beautiful. Infused with pop rock dynamics courteous of lead singer Marika, Dawn Of 7th Sky's latest single has one foot firmly planted in electronic rock territory while the other foot dangles above modern metal. Thanks to it's clever construction and somewhat somber vibe, this three minute plus song gets stuck in your head while it silently digs deeper into your heart. On a scale of 1 to 10, "Island in the Sky" gets a 8 from me. The hard & heavy "Persecuted" gets a 7. With Mido (guitar), Bulle (bass), and  Bambie (drum) rounding out things out, Dawn Of 7th Sky has a captivating sound that slickly mixes smooth female vocals with aggressive rock, metal, and post-hardcore. It is a style that works really well for this four-piece band and it makes you want to find out what else this band is capable of. You can find "Island in the Sky" at the following link.

French Metal Friday: Nightmare-Dead Sun

AFM Records
2016

Nightmare is a highly-regarded French heavy metal band that was initially active from 1979-1988. Originally a N.W.O.B.H.M.-inspired traditional heavy metal act (and a damn good one at that!), Nightmare released two albums during their first run (1984's "Waiting for Twilight" in 1984 and 1985's "Power of the Universe"). Both classics in their own right, "Waiting for Twilight" and "Power of the Universe" turned Nightmare into a household name. After a break in the action, Nightmare returned to the scene in 1999 as a power metal outfit. Since then the group has released a EP, a compilation album, and countless full-length recordings. The simply incredible "Dead Sun" is Nightmare's brand new album and it serves as the two year follow-up to "The Aftermath".  The album introduces two new players in lead vocalist Maggy Luyten (Beyond the Bridge, Frameshift, ex-Spirittales, ex-Virus IV, ex-Beautiful Sin, ex-Ayreon, ex-Over Us Eden, Master of Waha) and drummer Olivier Casula (Sangdragon (live), ex-Thalidomide, ex-Necrosphera, ex-The Seven Gates). Meanwhile Nightmare's two guitarists are Franck Milleliri (ex-Dark Light) and Matthieu Asselberghs (Architekt, Sangdragon, ex-Fire Wizzard). Only bass guitarist Yves Campion (ex-Urgent)  remains from the original line-up, but given the overwhelming sense of chemistry on display here you would never guess that in a million years! Starting off with the nice and crunchy "Infected", Nightmare's "Dead Sun" is hard & heavy power metal that is absolutely stone-cold savage in it's delivery!! Like 2014's "The Aftermath" the guitar solos on "Dead Sun" are stunningly-technical and ferociously-fast. Bassist Yves Campion picked two stellar axe men in Franck Milleliri and Matthieu Asselberghs. Of course Nightmare's bass guitarist is no slouch himself. His playing adds a bold exclamation point to Nightmare's string section and it makes that part of the band all the more better. It was back in 2012 that I first when I discussed this veteran outfit and it sure does seem as if Yves Campion gets slicker and sicker with each new recording! Speaking of things that are slick and sick, Nightmare's new front-lady Maggy Luyten is AWESOME on the mic!! This powerhouse vocalist takes over for the departed Jo Amore and adds a new and improved presence to what was already a intimidating outfit. She also injects some much needed youthful energy into this long-running metal band. While new drummer Olivier Casula does help things along in that regard, Maggy Luyten is ultimately the one that turns back the clock for this older French metal band. Reportedly born in 1978, Nightmare's new addition on the mic might have only been a year old when this French power metal band first came together, but man alive, does she ever sound as if she has been there forever! I know I mentioned it already, but the chemistry on this album is insane!! Collectively these five musicians sound as if they have been playing together for years. When you combine that with great power metal songs and a top-notch production there is nothing to do but play this one as LOUD and PROUD as you can!! With 11 cutting edge numbers in all, "Dead Sun" is one of the best power metal albums of 2016!!! 

Free Metal Monday: Listenable Records Sampler

Listenable Records
2015

This is a 18-track sampler from French label Listenable Records. It was released over the summer and it features a great deal of variety as far as metal genres go. You've got everything from Loudblast (death/thrash) to the Motörhead-infused Sticky Boys (their song "Bad Reputation" makes me want to hear more from this punk-like hard & heavy band!) and it's free to download by heading here.

French Metal Friday: Gang-Live Is All

Underground Investigation
2015

Active since 1990, Gang is a heavy metal/thrash band that hails from Fismes, Champagne-Ardenne and is currently comprised of Bill (lead vocals), Steve (lead guitars), Biggy (lead guitars), Philty (bass guitar), and Malo (drums). As of this writing this veteran French group has six full-length albums, a EP of covers, and one additional live recording  ("Heavy Metal Road 666 - Live in Fismes 2012") to their name with LP number seven planned for sometime in 2016. This particular live release was recorded during the SOS Festival 2014 in Manchester, Radcliffe, UK. The set list for this live recording featured new material off of Gang's latest full-length release, "Inject the Venom" (which I covered here ) such as "All the Fool Around",  "Chaos for Glory", "Primal Reign", "All of the Damned", and "The King Becomes A God". There is also some older material such as "Believer / Betrayer" and "Skull's Out of Genocide" from 2010's "V" and a obligatory cover track in "Total Eclipse" (Iron Maiden)! The full track list appears below this review, but let's just say that Gang put together a nice assortment of material for this live release! Fans of this French hard & heavy thrash outfit should appreciate "Live Is All" if for no other reason than the fact that it sure seems to be a fair representation of these merchants of metal in the flesh! With a run-time of something like 40 minutes this upcoming release makes you feel as if you were right there in the crowd and a part of all the action! I can't begin to tell you how nice it is to hear a live album that actually sounds as if it came from real live event. There's nothing fancy about this one and it's quite obvious that nothing has been "touched up". With Gang what you see is what you get and just like the great wine that their home country is known for this French band has only improved with age! As it is due to drop in October Gang fans will have to wait just a little while for this release. In the meantime be sure to follow the band's Facebook page and while you're at it why not head over to be Gang's online site to hear sample bits from this disc? I've also included a link below* for another review that I did for this French band. Unless I'm mistaken (which happens a lot for me now that I'm getting that old "Touch Of Grey") it is also the first album that I ever covered from Gang.

"Live Is All" Track List:
 
1. Behind the Gate
2. All the Fool Around
3. Chaos for Glory
4. Believer Betrayer
5. Total Eclipse (Iron Maiden)
6. Primal Reign
7. Skull’s out of Genocide
8. All of the Damned
9. Make Some Noise for the Froggies
10. The King Became A God
11. Back to Asylum


*My first taste of this French band came by way "1993". Titled after the year in which it was released, "1993" was the band's debut album and even though it might not sound like it from my review I have come to enjoy the album extended EP quite a bit for what it is.

Gang-Inject the Venom

Emanes Metal Records
2014

Slightly over a year ago I did a write-up on Gang as part of my French Metal Friday series. To refresh everyone's memory (including my own I'm afraid) here was a band which originally went by the so-so moniker of Gush X (ugh) before making the switch over to the much-improved Gang in 1990. The band's full-length debut-album, "1993"*, ended up appearing some three years later and for this Fismes, Champagne-Ardenne-based band it was only the beginning of what would prove to be a productive career. With a host of good albums ("Unknown But Surely Evil", "Piece Of War", "Dead Or Alive" and "V"), a demo, one (fucking fantastic!) EP of covers and a live album all hanging in this French band's past the first true "taste" of 2014-era Gang would come courteous of the March single, "Dying World". With ten new tracks, the "Dying World" number and one delicious choice of a cover in "If Heaven Is Hell" (Tokyo Blade), "Inject the Venom" is the latest (and greatest?) release from French band Gang and the first full-length LP since 2010's "V". It is also a surprisingly strong statement that not every band that is twenty plus years old has as to suffer the ravages of time (hear that Metallica?). To that end, bands such as Gang actually grow wiser, stronger and (as evident here on album number five for Gang) more creative, technical and downright memorable! Sure, times do change and naturally so do bands. But, here's the thing that threw me about Gang's latest. "Inject the Venom" (which I ended up breaking speed to!) ended up hitting so many different cords that I wasn't even sure it was the same band! Or at least compared to the band I heard on "1993". In a way it is the same band that I obsessed over back in 2013, but they have drastically changed for the better! So, whose who in Gang then? Well, bass player Phitty and rhythm guitarist Steve (aka Sylvain Cotté) are left over from the "good old days", but then you've got "young guns" like lead guitarist Biggy (aka: ex-Gloomy Gherkin' /current Adlib-7 member David Fasquelex) and drummer Malo (ex-Spasmophilius, ex-Gloomy Gherkin, ex-Anarmaniak, ex-Black Caps). To be fair to Malo and Biggy though both of these musicians have been with Gang for sometime now and this is not even close to the first album that the pair has worked on. The same can be said of lead vocalist Bill (ex-Spasmophilius, ex-Gloomy Gherkin, ex-Days of Yore, ex-Dehumanised) as this is not his first rodeo with Gang. It's simply that for Gang it's only bass player Phitty and rhythm guitarist Steve left over from the early days. A small detail yes, but one that I felt inclined to point out. Seeing as "Inject the Venom" is so kick ass and all! Could "Inject the Venom" be the one release that finally brings worldwide attention to these French heavy metal merchants? I'll just say one thing on the subject. If "Inject the Venom" does not present Gang with the breakthrough hit that they so desperately deserve then maybe it's time to reexamine the metal scene as a whole! Gang's new album is an absolute banger! There is just no other way around it and no better way to describe it. "Injecting The Venom" is as good a heavy metal album as they come and for a band that has been going at it since the early nineties it is simply incredible how vibrant it all is! In a way Gang's latest reminds me of Serbian band Annathema and their self-titled 1989 effort. And yes, that is a good thing! For those who do not know the name (or that particular album) Annathema was very much a product of their period. So much so in fact that "Annathema" (another recommend release) was an album with reference points to Judas Priest, Ozzy, Van Halen, Motörhead, Anthrax, Megadeth and Iron Maiden. And yet the band had their own distinct identity! And the same goes for Gang and this highly-recommended album! Early on in "Inject the Venom" you'll find yourself blown away by a band that references the likes of Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and even some Bay Area (Metallica/Megadeth) thrash. As the album moves on you are treated to elements of traditional heavy metal, N.W.O.B.H.M, power metal and thrash and while all of that is cool it gets even better. If you are like me in the slightest you will be left in awe as Gang is one of those well-rounded acts that uses rock formulas in their music in order to give everything that extra special edge. It add finesse to everything and when you are blessed with a lead singer like Bill (aka Laurent Bocquet, founder of Thundering Records who sounds quite similar to Harry Conklin ) it all adds up to a listening experience to be treasured and shared! As pleasantly surprised as I was to hear from Gang out of the blue I was even more surprised to find out far this French outfit had come! "Inject the Venom" is highly memorable and moves easily between melodic passages and more upbeat, speed-tinged movements and it's reminiscent of the way classic heavy metal albums used to be. As I'm throwing my horns in the air I'm also slamming down my stamp of approval as "Inject the Venom" is excellent metal for collectors and fans alike!


*"1993" was the album that I previously talked about in my first article on Gang. The monumental difference between "1993" and "Inject the Venom" is beyond unreal. This new album from Gang is truly worthy of praise!


PS: I really dug this album. Wow. From their slick cover of "If Heaven Is Hell" to an original number like "State of Disgrace" Gang's latest simply cannot be beat! I've listened to it now countless times over and I have it on now as I type this! Oh, speaking of "State of Disgrace" it is just unreal how epic this one feels! At about a minute and fifty seconds in a smashing solo kicks in that is out of this world! As metallic as the number is it's amazing how powerful the lead guitar work of Biggy is at this point. Frankly it flat out ROCKS!!!!!

French Metal Friday: The Betrayer's Judgement-Philosopher

Twin Peak Records
2013

"Godzilla meets Mothra. Hardcore meets Djent. Destruction ensues. The audience is in awe." 

That's pretty bold right? And yet that's what greeted me when I went to check out the latest release from France's own The Betrayer's Judgement. While I wouldn't say if left me in "awe" I will say that when it was all said and done this 6-track EP left me with an overall favorable impressive of this young French metal/hardcore act. Harsh, almost death metal-like (and most assuredly imposing!) lead vocals come from Cyril Szczepaniak while guitarist Jean-Aimé Leclercq handles the "clean" singing. It's a combination that seems to work out well for The Betrayer's Judgement and with "Philosopher" offering plenty of huge metal riffs to go along with the more melodic moments it seems as if it would be hard to argue that this band has anywhere to go but up. This is not the band's first go around as they do have the 12-track "Run Out Of Fuel" from 2011 as well as a cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" (also released in 2013). For those new to the band though this one seems like a good place to start as any. On the plus side it's technical enough all around to keep you focused in on where this French act might be going next. With each new emerging moment there's a chance that this whole house of cards is either going to collapse or explode so you do end up waiting with heavy breath to see which direction it will go. And, as the band shifts between the ultra-heavy, riff-happy metallic barrage that is modern metal/hardcore and off-the-cuff, spontaneous melodies they do it decisively well. It does keep you on your toes. On the down side though this EP does remind me entirely too much of modern metalcore. Blame the harsh/clean vocal-interplay and radical shifts if you want, but the difference between metalcore and hardcore/djent doesn't seem all that great (divide-wise) to me. Still, for what it is worth and all that jazz folks, I'd take a release like this any day of the week over the bulk of metalcore releases that inevitably all show up at once (and usually from one particular label in general-no names please)! and threaten to drive me insane with the same set-up of thrash, breakdown, thrash, breakdown, etc!

http://thebetrayersjudgement.bandcamp.com/album/philosopher