French Metal Friday: Mystery Blue-Circle of Shame (2016 Version)

Eat Metal Records
2016

Mystery Blue is a French heavy metal band that was formed by guitarist Francis Philippon. Other than a short break in the action between the years 1989 and 1995 this hard & heavy outfit has been fairly active live on the stage and in the studio. Preceded in life by "Mystery Blue", 1986's "Circle of Shame" was the second full-length effort from Mystery Blue and it is has been reissued by Eat Metal Records. Last month I covered Eat Metal Record's reissue of the band's 1984 debut (link). Both CDs were mailed to me by a longtime friend and just like the other reissue, "Circle of Shame" includes additional bonus material. In regards to "Circle of Shame" it is the bonus track "Cries in the Dark". Originally released as a 7" flexi with the title track and an Interview, "Cries in the Dark" was included with the first pressing of "Circle of Shame". The song falls somewhere between late seventies/early eighties AOR and vintage European melodic metal. While it sticks out a bit on this heavy metal album, "Cries in the Dark" does have some appeal and I found it oddly satisfying. Opening with the self-explanatory "Heavy and Loud", Mystery Blue's second album came out two years after their self-debut and it shows the band slowly adapting to the heavy metal sounds of the day. With "Mystery Blue" this French band was part AC/DC and part hard rock/heavy metal. This LP finds Mystery Blue picking up the pace a bit on songs like "I'm in Heaven", "Victim of Guilty", "On the Ground", and "Vicious Game". While none of them are as crunchy as "Heavy and Loud", "Circle of Shame" at least finds these French hard rockers trying to do there own thing. The title cut and "Behind the Blinding Light"* show a ever-evolving band that wasn't afraid to explore other styles. Had Mystery Blue stuck at it, "Circle of Shame" could have been the starting point of something special. By mixing hard rock, heavy metal, AOR, vintage hard rock/heavy metal, and progressive rock (it's a tiny dose but it's there all the same!), Mystery Blue's future could have been dramatically different. They would have needed the support of a proper record label and maybe the help of a good producer, but (post-"Circle of Shame") Mystery Blue just might have been a very cool thing. As it stands now (and I'm addressing this 2016 re-issue more than anything), "Circle of Shame" is an album that should find a home in French hard rock/heavy metal collections. Our everyday readers might want to give this one a listen**, but that is only if you are into the older hard rock and heavy metal scenes.



*"Behind the Blinding Light" falls somewhere between a Dio-lead Rainbow and (seventies-era) Scorpions.

**You can hear this re-issue for yourself by heading here.

Mystery Blue-Mystery Blue (2016 Version)

Eat Metal Records
2016

Mystery Blue is a long-running heavy metal band from France. They were formed in 1978 and this self-titled album was originally released in 1984. It was preceded in life by a 1983 demo and along with the band's second album, "Circle of Shame", it has been re-released by Eat Metal Records. Both CDs were sent to me by a friend/fellow lover of all things French hard & heavy. Chances are good that no one else will remember this, but I originally talked about this group in one of my French Metal Friday features from 2011. If you are interested in checking that out then be sure to click on this link. Otherwise here we go with CD number one.
Formed in 1982 by guitarist and sole surviving original member, "Frenzy" Philippon, Mystery Blue was initially active up until 1989. After a six year break in the action, Mystery Blue reformed in 1995. Since then the band has been active in one form or another. Their last album was released in late December of 2012, but by all accounts they are still playing live gigs. If you want more information about all of that then be sure to check out the group's Facebook page. There you will see new singer Nathalie Geyer (well, she's been new to the group since 1995, but you get the drift!) and the rest of the gang. It's worth a visit if you have the time. Getting back to the topic at hand, "Mystery Blue" was originally released on the cult French label Axe Killer. Much like their fellow countrymen Trust, Mystery Blue's first album was primary influenced by AC/DC. That doesn't mean the whole album is like that, but a sizeable chunk certainty is. It's a hard & heavy take on the Aussie lads that adds in some love for Trust and a few touches of British metal, but there is no mistaking the intention. Seeing as I totally dig the sound of AC/DC gone heavy metal (see: Accept, Krokus, and to a lesser extent Trust), 1984's "Mystery Blue" has always been a jam for me as is. For those people who might be looking for more original hard rock and heavy metal, "Mystery Blue" has that covered as well. Towards the end of Mystery Blue's first album things get switched up big time and you can hear these French rockers reaching for more. With lead singer Michel Torres taking a step or two towards straight-up heavy metal, side B of this 1984 LP helps pave for the way towards Mystery Blue's own sound and it's a solid one! Two years later the band would follow this one with "Circle of Shame" (Dream Records), but this overlooked gem started it all. As noted in my French Metal Friday feature on the group, "Mystery Blue" was (at the time) one of the few hard rock/heavy albums to make an impact outside of France. There is a good reason why it happened. The music on this 1984 album speaks volumes about that subject, but it is best that you hear it for yourself.  This 2016 version tacks on a unreleased demo of the song "Never Surrender". I would take that to mean that it isn't the version that appeared on the band's 1983 demo, but I could be wrong. Whatever the case, "Never Surrender" is a good addition to this updated version. Eat Metal Record's version also comes with a live version of  "Paralysed" (sic). It is a live recording from 1984. As the second song on Mystery Blue's self-titled debut, "Paralysed" sounds better in a live setting, but that might only mean that they couldn't capture the full essence of this band's urgent sound in the studio! If there are any labels that are sitting on live Mystery Blue shows from this same time period then PLEASE release them! I would love to see if this French band had this much raw talent in a live setting or if this was just a random song choice that was captured on tape at the just the right moment. I'm leaning towards the former, but there isn't a lot to go on! Anyway, "Mystery Blue" circa 2016 needs a grade. Normally I don't go that route. I'm not big on grades or numbers, but for some reason I'm down for it today. After hearing this album again for the first time in years it has reminded me about French heavy metal bands and their unsung impact on the scene as a whole. With that "Oh yeah" reflection swirling about in this old brain of mine, "Mystery Blue" gets an admirable B+ and it is well earned! Be sure to keep an eye out for my piece on "Circle Of Shame". And if you're reading this my friend (and you know who you are!), French metal is always welcomed and always appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for this round...