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...

Hexenjäger-Black Titan

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Previously covered in one of my "French Metal Friday" features, Hexenjäger (which incidentally is German for "witch hunter") is a four-piece doom/stoner rock band that hails from Saint-Nazaire and has been active since 2009. The recently-released "Black Titan", which was recorded, mixed and mastered by Antoine Gonzalez at L'Atelier Studio in Vensac, Gironde in July of 2015, is Hexenjäger's full-length debut album and (frankly speaking ladies and gents!) it's a real banger! It follows the quartet's 2-track demo from late March of last year and finds this top-tier French collective making great strides in regards to improved song writing/song structures and overall (individual) performances. For band-mates Charly (vocals), Charles (guitars), Flo (bass), and Ben (drums) this all-imposing/towering record is as huge as this band's potential! Granted there are only four songs on "Black Titan", but when the title track alone clocks in at over 19 minutes(!) it's all golden! Is "Black Titan" the one event in Hexenjäger's time-line that helps usher in this French band's inevitably rise towards world-wide fortune and glory? Well, it's either that or record label' PR folks might actually snap their puny little necks as they whirl around and go "What's that groovy as fuck noise?"! One or the other is bound to happen so you'd be well-advised to keep an eye out for the further adventures of this doom-laden stoner rock band! 

Free Metal Monday: Acid Western-Rampage

Self-release/Independent
2015

Acid Western is a desert-rock/stoner-rock trio from Paris, France. This three-track (name-your-own-price) digital download is Acid Western's 2nd EP and it can be found here.

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: Nightmare-The Aftermath

AFM Records
2014

French metal gods Nightmare are now 35 years into their career. To put that into perspective we're talking about (roughly) the same time period that the N.W.O.B.H.M. first started out! Way before home computers, MTV and bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer these French metalheads were cranking out their own Iron Maiden/Judas Priest-inspired N.W.O.B.H.M and if you want to hear what a real classic heavy metal platter sounds like then let me recommend "Waiting for the Twilight" (Nightmare's 1984 debut album which has shades of not only Priest and Maiden, but early Def Leppard) or for that matter their 1985 follow-up, "Power from the Universe"! Those two early Nightmare LPs seem to float towards the top of my personal playlist more often then not as they are both just all-around good heavy metal recordings! A lot has transpired since that time though so for those looking for a more in-depth bio of the band you would do well to check out my previous article on this fantastic power metal outfit that is linked below. Meanwhile we find ourselves in the here and now and these days the band is fronted by drummer turned lead singer Jo Amore. It's no secret that Jo's voice comes across as very Ronnie James Dio at times and on "The Aftermath" that observation holds as true as ever! Of course his backing bandmates are in fine form as well here on album number nine (the band's first new album in two years with their last LP being the well-received "The Burden of God") and they continue onward and upward with their high-class take on power metal! As usual the riffs are heavy and the leads are epic and for Nightmare (a band which lives up to it's name these days thanks to the ominous nature of their delivery!) they continue to stand tall and proud waving the banner of French metal for all to see. Unfortunately they seem to be somewhat like their fellow countrymen Killers in he fact that no matter how good they are or how consistent their version of heavy metal is they have a hard time catching on with fans here in the states. Naturally it's a lose for the fans more then for the band as people who haven't got into Nightmare simply do not know what they are missing out on! "The Aftermath" is kick-ass menacing power metal that is modern in form without betraying the group's classic heavy metal roots. It's track after track of heavy chugging riffs, sick bass and bow down to the thunder drumming and it has one of those "Take no shit from no one" feelings in regards to it's attitude. For anyone reading this who digs total power metal muscle you couldn't go wrong by trying "The Aftermath" on for size!

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/01/french-metal-friday-nightmare.html

Help Eryn Non Dae.'s "Meliora" receive a vinyl release!

Does everyone Remember French metal band Eryn Non Dae.? They were last covered here at HMTM back in December of 2013 ( http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2013/12/french-metal-friday-eryn-non-dae_13.html). In that article (a part of my French Metal Friday series) I touched upon their spectacular 2012 studio-album, "Meliora" (http://erynnondae.bandcamp.com/album/meliora). As it turns out Mobo of ConKrete Studio (Gorod, Silent Opera, Otargos) is launching a crowd funding campaign in order to release "Meliora" on vinyl and they need every one's help! Please head over to here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/eryn-non-dae-s-meliora-on-vinyl for more information about the project and on behalf of Eryn Non Dae.I want to thank everyone in advance for their kind consideration and support!

Interview with My Doppelgänger's Alex Hilbert

Back in April I covered French metal outfit My Doppelgänger (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-doppelganger-god-is-lie.html) and their very cool concept album, "God is a lie" (http://mydoppelganger.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-a-lie). Now it is my absolute pleasure to present an interview that I did with the band's guitarist Alex Hilbert who, in addition to performing with My Doppelgänger is also in the power metal outfit Lonewolf and has played with French legends Nightmare! I want to thank Alex for taking the time out of his busy schedule to share with all of us here with Heavy Metal Time Machine and I want to encourage everyone reading this to check out the musically adventurous "God is a lie"!


Andy-My Doppelgänger, what's it all about?
 
Alex-My Doppelgänger is a musical and lyrical journey through the madness of society and mankind. It's also mainly a matter of friendship and happiness to create music with no boundaries and people you like.  It's also a bet: 5 friends creating music, recording it themselves, making everything in the most professional way we could (except the mix and mastering in Germany with our friend Charles of Powerwolf), giving birth to that project from the writing of the songs to the booklet of the CD all by ourselves.
 
Andy-How did everyone meet up and then get down with this project?
 
Alex-R-general (my wife and bass) and V (guitar) were playing in the same cover band. They had a song (that will become later the opener "Somewhere in my head") but the rest of the band only wanted to play cover songs and no original ones. The band finally split up and, as a joke, we began with recording this song, we had fun... Then another, and another and we finally had enough songs to make an album !  So Antoine (drums in Lonewolf) joined and after a long time we found our friend Will (who helped Lonewolf on the choirs of "the fourth and final horseman") and he gave the final touch to the sound of the band.

 Andy-My Doppelgänger seems as if it is a million miles removed from one of your other bands Lonewolf. What's it like going from one extreme to the other?
 
Alex-Lonewolf is 100% what I want to play as a "traditional" metal guitarist. But I also like a lot of other styles (as long as there is guitar in it ) and I would say that with My Doppelgänger, every member can express his different sensibilities in complete freedom. We mainly love metal , but V is a Slash and GN'R fan, R General loves country music and southern rock, Antoine comes from the black metal scene, Will can sing almost anything and I also love southern rock and Dire Straits... So you can imagine that we still have a lot of things to say in the future ;-) 

 Andy-Naturally I loved it, but what has been the reception otherwise for your new album?
 
Alex-As we decided to make everything by ourselves, without the support of any label we make the promotion too, with the help of good peoples we know in the business . The bad thing is that it's harder to get reviews and contacts, but the good thing is that when someone say "I like your music" you know that it's true because there's no label paying for a good review behind ! So for the moment we had your good review in the US (and another one to come), a good one in Italy ,a good one in England , a good one in Germany, one in Japan... and 2 "not that bad " in France ;-) So I'd say that our own country seems harder to convince than the rest of the world !

 Andy-My Doppelgänger takes it's cue from sources other then rock, hard rock and heavy metal. I've got to say that it's kind of refreshing to see that I'm not the only one that likes the work of people like Johnny Cash and Mark Knopfler!
 
Alex-Yes ! We're not only metal fans as I told you ! This is the result when you write music with absolutely no boundaries ! But we really think (or hope !) that the music makes sense, it's not just a random melting pot of influences.

Andy-I'd say that it makes more then sense and that it translates over into some simply killer music! So, what made you guys decide to release a concept album?
 
Alex-The story was in "V"'s head long before we started the project and Will took the story to make it fit to every songs and he made it a concept album. The music and the atmospheres were good for this direction too.

 Andy-How are you guys planning to go about balancing this band with your day jobs?
 
Alex-Music is only a matter of passion, you can always find time for your passions!

Andy-Great answer! Now, please tell me that this won't just be one of those projects where you release one album and then we never hear from you again will it? My Doppelgänger holds so much promise!

Alex-You know, it started as a fun things with friends, we never thought about making a whole album. But now after all that work we have something that we like and are proud of, so we'll find a way to do more ! The whole creating process was made without having a singer, and now that we know we've found the perfect one for Doppel, it will be even funnier to write songs for him.

 Andy-Where do you guys go from here?
 
Alex-We're making promotion by ourselves for the first time so it's a new job to learn, and a lot of time to loose ! We're working on live performances too and begin to think about another album.

 Andy-For anyone reading this who is interested in the band where can they find out more?
 
Alex-Most of the things can be found here : https://www.facebook.com/my.doppleganger.official
with links for album order or downloading.
 
Andy-Great, thank you! Now, I always let bands have the last say. Is there anything we didn't cover that you would like to address?
 
Alex-Thanks for the support, and thanks to anyone that helps us following our dream. The idea behind the My Doppelganger project is also:  "do only what you want, and if you want it hard enough, everything can become real. Faith is also a matter of will." Cheers from France \m/

My Doppelgänger-God is a lie

Self-Release/Independent
2014

"I'm Alex, guitar player with the heavy metal band Lonewolf (https://www.facebook.com/lonewolfdivision). Here is the other project I've joined and I'm playing in: My Doppelgänger". Thus began the e-mail from Alex Hilbert inquiring as to whether or not Heavy Metal Time Machine took submissions from unsigned acts. Of course the answer to that question has been and will always be a resounding "Yes!" with any and all small print as to the matter (if there actually was any!) simply stating "All submissions (from pop rock to black metal!) are welcome whether you are signed or unsigned"! With that, Alex went on to say that the band's sound (unlike the more traditional, power metal leanings of Lonewolf)  is like "Guns N' Roses meeting Metallica with a touch of Lynyrd Skynyrd and with a kind of Hellhamer on the drums ! No musical boundaries , but still very metal...". And from that point on I was off and running, downloading the album and plugging myself into the (D.I.Y.) concept album that is "God is a lie" (http://mydoppelganger.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-a-lie). What's it all about you might ask? Well, straight from their mouth to this page: "The album is meant to describe the degeneracy of a being, lost in a world he can only feel through its violence and its perversion. The unequal fight between the conscious man and his baleful double will bring him to the end of a life that was eventually sauntering on the sinuous road of insanity". Not to far-fetched if you ask me as one only need look out his window to see the truth in it all. But, heavy-message aside, this French is more then words. For this newish (as in 2012 or so from the sounds of things) French band has planted it's roots down deep into rich soil from where their various influences and inspirations* can sprout up and fully blossom! With "God is a lie" the band, gracefully lead by singer Will (or a French James Hetfield disguised in "rock and roll" sheep's clothing!), takes nothing for granted as the whole project, from "the recordings the mix and mastering (with Powerwolf's guitar player in "Studio Greywolf" Germany) to the 16 pages booklet", might look and sound professional, but it is indeed a 100%  D.I.Y. affair. And it's that same sense of self-assured passion that moves these musicians involved and has resulted in a genuine rock record! Sure as the air we breath there's a metal essence to this French collective and there's a real blues mindset to be found within some of the song-construction that appears on "God is a lie". Even so, as you slowly pull away from this album and reflect on the overall riches that it possesses, it's rock, real rock and roll (even classic rock friends) that you end up taking with you. But, don't take my word for it as each and everyone of you is certainly sensible enough to stream this album and take from it what you will. Just remember though that it's not enough to just have ears. No, you have to learn to really listen. And an album like this deserves one's full listening ability so that all of it's riches can be yours! For more on My Doppelgänger be sure to head over to the group's Facebbok page here: https://www.facebook.com/my.doppleganger.official


*For My Doppelgänger it's not just about the obligatory "metal" role models (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, etc.) as the likes of Uriah Heep, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Mark Knopfler, The Rolling Stones and Blackfoot are referenced as well! And yes, it does show in the band's blues-based, hard rock/heavy metal approach to riff-happy rock!

French Metal Friday:Factor Hate - The Watcher

Self-Release/Independent
2013

French (hard and heavy) five-piece Factor Hate features a pair of brothers in Olivier (aka: "Silver") and  Pascal Landais (guitars and drums respectively). The former plays in industrial goth band Xianosys while the latter (dubbed "Sharky") is a former Xianosys member. They also sport a lead singer with the name Thierry "The Watcher" Grumiaux (Heavintage), a bass guitarist nicknamed "Kev" (Kevin Obron) and a second guitarist called "Hubb" (Hubert Treynel). There's all of that and then they (chiefly) carry a torch for all things eighties. Think everyone from Judas Priest to Kiss, Ratt to Accept and Picture to Alice Cooper. Pounded into the shape of a (home-brewed) four-track EP it's all a sporting good time! And to their benefit Factor Hate, who actually formed in 2011 and is also made up of four former members of Mankind (everyone but Thierry "The Watcher" Grumiaux who, might I just add, is one fine looking individual who looks like a cross between Sir Ian Murray McKellen and Christopher Lee!) have recently signed on with Germany's Rock N’ Growl Promotion. That's a nice group to be handling this traditional heavy metal which (rumor has it) has a full-length album in store for sometime later this year. There's nothing sexy about this bunch and (again, to their benefit!) this EP is a tad "scruffy" (kind of like their wicked cool looking and sounding lead vocalist!). But, it still gives off it's own kind of sparkle and is well worth it's weight in gold if only for the title track alone! Find out more at their Facebook page below! 

https://www.facebook.com/factorhate

French Metal Friday: Existance-Steel Alive

Mausoleum Records
2014 

It's been awhile, but French metal band Existance are finally releasing their long-awaited and highly-anticipated debut album. The last time we checked in with this young act (which incidentally features  vocalist/guitarist Julian Izard who, as the son of H-Bomb's Didier Izard, has heavy metal flowing through his veins!) was w-a-y back in 2012. At that time the band, which was formed back in 2008 and whose sound could just as easily be compared to N.W.O.B.H.M greats of old (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Blitzkrieg, Saxon, Demon, etc) as classic French heavy acts up to and including H-Bomb(!), had recently seen their 2011, self-released and self-titled, demo re-released by High Roller Records and many of us thought that these young French metalheads (which now features the additional line-up of guitarist Antoine Poiret, bass guitarist Thomas Drouin and drummer Alexandre Revillon) would soon enough be making a real name for themselves and tearing apart the scene!!! So, when their full-length debut album didn't materialize right away something just didn't sit right with fans and supporters (of which I'd like to count myself as being both!) alike and we were left scratching our heads as to how and why this band wasn't under the bright lights and on every one's lips and minds! Whatever the reason for the delay though the wait sure as hell was well worth it as the aptly-titled "Steel Alive" (Get it?) simply slays the dragon my friends! This 11-track MONSTER of a METAL release was recorded and mixed at Boss Hog Studios in Ham en Artois, France with Maor Appelbaum (Anvil, Dokken, Halford, Malmsteen, Sepultura) handling the mastering job.Production-wise it's spot on and music-wise? Starting with "Legends Never Die" (a number that slowly works it's way forward before going full-force into power metal, via Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, territory!) the band takes up the challenge of representing a scene that gave us legends like Trust, Nightmare, Vulcain, Warning, ADX and of course H-Bomb! As the album moves forward (and Julian Izard proves he's just as strong of a vocalist as his father!) it's a remarkable accomplishment, but it seems to grows stronger with good numbers like"Black Viper" and "The Siren" giving way to ABSOLUTE crushing riff-rockers like "Dead Or Alive" (which is simply wicked with it's phenomenal lead guitar work!), "Slaughter" and "Burning Angel". That's not to say that opener "Legends Never Die" is anything other then top-of-the-line heavy metal as it does more then just get the job done! It's a solid way to start off a release that (from the start to when the creepy "From Hell" wraps things up in style!) is both a homage to classic heavy metal and a statement that here are still (younger) acts out there that will gladly wave the banner of all things "loud & proud" like this talented four-piece! But, onward we should match and the track "Burning Angel", while (only slightly) a bit slower and more melodic, shows off the band's maturity as songwriters while the title cut is simply top-notch epic metal! Then there is the track "Get Away". With it's nice and heavy back-drop (thanks in no small to the skill-level of bass guitarist Thomas Drouin and drummer Alexandre Revillon!) "Get Away" is old-school, hard & heavy magic, made with love and appreciation from a band that has greatness well-within it's reach! "Prisoner" is more Iron Maiden-inspired power metal (nothing wrong with that folks!) and with the speed metal great "Close to the End" and "From Hell" (a bit Blitzkrieg-like all around) wrapping things up rather nicely "Steel Alive" (again, clever title and one that I just love!) proves to a great debut-album for this French act and a release that should fill the gap in your collection rather nicely if your a fan of all things classic heavy metal and N.W.O.B.H.M.! Find out more about this talent-laden French lot at their Facebook page below and you can read my review of their (sweet ass) self-titled release right here:http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2012/03/existance-existance.html

https://www.facebook.com/existanceband

French Metal Friday: Agrion Splendens-Agrion Splendens

Braincrushing Records/A l'ombre de cette vie
2013

Released at the start of March, 2013, which was somewhere close to the range of two years after the group's formation by guitarists Vincent (ex-Jahiliyya) and Sally (ex-Barbarian Koala) - Limoges), "Agrion Splendens" came my way courtesy of fellow French act Ethersens. Soon after their initial formation, with (dual) voclaists Laurent (Wonderbar) and Mathieu (Eryn Non Dae), bassist Damien (ex-Nutcracker) and drummer Colin (drums) serving among the original line-up, the group went through some shake-ups. With Laurent Mora now fronting Ethersens and Yoan (ex-Disclosed Silence) taking over for the departed Colin this Toulouse, France-based band seem to be a point where they have gotten the who's who straightened out (line-up wise) with the actual "what" (as in what these French post-rockers like to lay down jam-wise) having fallen nicely into place as well. The likes of Isis, Cult Of Luna and Neurosis come to mind as "heavy and dirty riffs with powerful bass-lines" (their words) fill in the spaces of what amounts to a twisted tale of post-metal and post-hardcore rock-leanings. Every-bit as dark and foreboding as one could imagine given the key "buzzwords" (post-this and post-that with dirty riffs and clean/harsh vocal foreplay) Agrion Splendens, the band and this self-titled post-apocalyptic sound-scape, are worth a listen if ones tastes often times flow over to the not-so-sunny side of life!
http://agrionsplendens.bandcamp.com/

Sound of Memories-Living Circles

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Sounds of Memories, who call Paris, Île-de-France home, are another up-and-coming act who have signed on with Contorted Records. Formed in 2010, and with bands as diverse as Iron Maiden and Carcass serving as their musically influences, this French melodic death metal act released "Living Circles", their debut (and so far only) recorded output, late last October. This three-track EP was recorded, mixed and mastered at ZOE H Studio by Zoe H (Herrschaft, The CNK, Outburst, etc) and it finds this young five-piece trekking into the same territory that house acts like In Flames, Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity, At The Gates - Hypocrisy, The Black Dahlia Murder and Arch Enemy. The only difference would be that Sound of Memories, which is fronted by Flo (Florent) and features lead & rhythm guitarist Del, lead & rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Lucho, bassist/backing vocalist Fab and drummer Nacim, almost come across as if their music was built upon a solid heavy metal foundation and then it was built up, riff by brutalizing riff, into the death metal monster that stands before us today! Well, there's that and then the fact that this group of well-skilled musicians also seems to draw upon a bit of the melodic death/metal power metal of bands like Mercenary and Children Of Bodom. When all of that is compressed and squeezed through it's French' filters  what you get is a dastardly little EP like "Living Circles"! So far that makes two for two bands on the newly reshaped Contorted Records and if these are the kind of acts that we can expect from this independent label then I say BRING IT ON!   

Check out "Living Circles" here:
 http://soundofmemories.bandcamp.com/

Check out the band's Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/soundofmemoriesofficiel

Drawers-Drawers

Kaotoxin
2014

Due for release on February 11th, and having been proceeded by a 2012 split with fellow-French noisemakers Hangman's Chair, this eight-track release is apparently a way for Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées-based Drawers to "reinvent themselves". Having never heard this lot prior to receiving the digital files for this self-titled release I can't vouch for where they've been, but I sure can and do appreciate where it is they find themselves at now and where they plan on heading from here! As this is only the group's second full-length affair since forming in 2006, with the first one being 2011's "All Is One" (along with the group's 2008 debut EP, "This Is Oil" that's all she wrote kids!) one would have to suggest that the future looks bright for these down-tuned rockers! "Officially" this is all sludge/stoner metal with (justifiable) comparisons being made in passing to the likes of Mastodon and Baroness, but (truth be told) that seems to bypass the band's own personality and it simply cannot be used as an exclusive tag given all of this album's quirky traits. In much the same way that a body's scars add character, with each one in turn telling a remarkable tale of survival, it's the various jagged edges of "Drawers" that makes it such a compelling listen. Alongside the towering waves of blackened sludge and (implied) doom, which are most-likely left over from the band's early days, you'll find yourself staring right at knuckle-punch garage metal, mean street rock and roll and, shockingly, groove-happy hard rock that's been rolled-up and lite ablaze via some wicked stoner rock riffs! Said gnarly riffs come courtesy of Alexandre Berenguer and Laurent Bringer while it's the pair of Jérémie Ruiz and Olivier Lolmède (bass and drums respectively) that keeps everything from flying of the page! Even so make no mistake about the intentions of Drawers in regards to this new album and their new direction. This is still the sound of a band at their heaviest when it comes right down to it. Recorded live in the studio, which merely adds more fuel to raw rock vibe of Drawers, this eight track LP is still punk through and through. Skipping with the pleasantries Drawers, without ever loosing focus on the goal at hand (one that I would assume would be to deliver knock-out material for those who believe in the power of really loud real music), plows there way over the listener never once stopping to offer anything in the way of an apology. And I for one couldn't be happier with the results! With Niko Bastide on the mic (as we can't leave out his fine contribution to the metal at hand!) and a backing band dead-set of rolling out honest music (warts and all!) this one only gets better with repeated listens! You're going to want this one folks.

Alcest-Shelter

Prophecy Productions
2014

Arriving safely by mail, with Matt Boroff's "Sweet Hand Of Fate" serving as it's companion during the course of said journey, "Shelter", which (even if it is actually the fourth studio release from this creative French outfit) was my first exposure to this unique act, had already peaked my interest before I even had a chance to unwrap the CD. Based-solely upon what I had read, whether within the confines of the e-mail asking me if I would be willing to give "Shelter" a listen (with the answer being a resounding "Yes!") or online in anticipation the CD's arrival, this two-man project from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France could either be shoegaze act descended from a post-black metal band, a dream-pop act descended from an ambient black metal band or a little of both. Either way the band, which was founded in 2000 and is still lead by multi-instumentalist Neige (Stéphane Paut), began life under the black metal banner before evolving into the beautiful creature that stared back at me as I surveyed "Shelter". Taking the form of a concept album, with the title track accurately describing the direction in which this experimental album chooses to head, the album can best be described as a comfortable hiding place far away from life's noisy distractions. With the aid of Sigur Rós producer Birgir Jón Birgisson, guest's like Slowdrive's Neil Halsted ("Away", which is one of the tracks here that is sung in English, finds Neil Halsted's voice roaming the accent hallways of indie rock, a school where the sounds of authentic strings carelessly floated about in the background while it's students created dream-like alternative music) and singer-songwriter Billie Lindahl (Promise And The Monster) and with ex-Peste Noire drummer Winterhalter serving as the second part of the two-man equation, Neige has managed to re-write the book on how to properly nurture your (humble) black metal roots so that they can be deconstructed and then carefully reassembled into a (dream-like) soundtrack where melancholy is more the norm the anything else. And yet, as offered by the album's opener "Wings" and this releases' first single, "Opale" (fittingly track one and track two), "Shelter" isn't entirely bleak to the point of absolute despair. In actuality these two numbers, which (for better or worse) end up falling somewhere between dreamy pop, classic rock and shoeglaze, were seemingly made/hand-crafted with love to serve as the perfect backdrop for all of the imposing snow that my part of the East coast has been buried under. Or at least that is how I perceived such an offering. On a day in which the temperature hardly rose above the teens, and with more mountains of snow being threatened for the days ahead (or is that weeks ahead?), such numbers as "Wings" and "Opale" cut (more then) a welcoming pathway in the roadway ahead. It's one (the surgical cut of these two numbers) that is filled with light and welcoming warmth even when faced with the cold and bitter darkness that is Ohio in January. Could it be that this melodic album, despite the recurring appearance of post-black metal ghosts, is remarkably "alive" and, as such, could be viewed as if it's attempting to pass itself off as the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing? Is this a death-rock album pretending that it is some sort of pop-oriented rock and roll creature? Dolled up and rolled out as if to lull the audience into not looking past it's fake makeup? For whatever reason I was reminded of the line in "Carry On My Wayward Son" where it goes "Masquerading as a man with a reason. My charade is the event of the season". Neige has changed in his appearance, but the charade can only go on for so long right?  Or maybe it can. For even as "L'Eveil Des Muse", which is undercut with the presence of darkness and despair (or at least in it's opening), manages to convey this feeling of helplessness and abandonment you still find yourself being drawn in closer and closer as if pulled by some mysterious force that you just can't see. Whether by way of it's evocative guitar playing, a highlight not only on this track but throughout all of "Shelter", or Neige's oddly calm voice one fact is routinely exposed. Even at it's darkest, when you know you are looking right into the very abyss that is nothingness, the latest release from Alcest is a dream paradise and it is the soundtrack of the any-man as he reaches forward in hopefulness, with out-stretched and longing hands, that he might just find a way to return to the warmth and security of his mother's womb. Does he find it? Can any of us really hope to find that again? The only answer I can give is to listen to "Shelter" for yourself and then decide. Is it a journey we can ever really hope to take or is it just the reality that some of us can only dare an escape while within the comfort of our nightly dreams...

Miserable Failure-Hope

Kaotoxin
2014

French act Miserable Failure, who (I assume) took their name as a means of describing my pathetic attempt at a love life, are offering up their latest EP "Hope" as a free digital download right here: http://listen.kaotoxin.com/album/hope. Or at least until May 6th, 2014 after which point it will be available for next to nothing on all digital platforms. That's neither here nor there though when it comes right down to the (gnarly) outlook and approach that this extreme metal act takes on "Hope". Charismatically lead by "vocalist" Bleu (Demonically-possessed much or have you just been garaging with broken bits of metal and glass? Either way you had me in your clutches from the very moment you appeared on "The blueprints of self-disgust" my friend/fiend!), and having (previously) drawn comparisons to Agoraphobic Nosebleed (Which is more then fair I reckon even if Miserable Failure comes across as a bit more, in a good way, mean and ugly!), the band (the aforementioned Bleu, guitarist/vocalist Rom "Maldito" Sanchez, bassist Mélanie Sugin and drummer Elvis Jagger Abdul Jabbar) crush down four tracks of (blood red and deliciously juicy) raw grind in less then four minutes on "Hope"! If digital downloads are not your thing and you just HAVE to have a physical copy of  this short & sweet grindcore release for yourself, which I wouldn't blame you for wanting as this nasty little bastard does the old "in and out" as good as any other (If not actually better I'd likely argue!) then be sure to connect with the band members themselves at their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/msrblflr. There will be a limited number of CDR and Tape editions of  the excellent "Hope" floating around. As to when that will happen and how many will be issued? Hell if I know! That's why I'm leaving it up to you to head over to the group's Facebook page and inquire for yourself!

French Metal Friday-The Outburst

I realize it's been ages since my last "French Metal Friday". How long exactly I'm not sure, but it seems like it was a long, long time ago that I last wrote an article. But, here we are now and the reason why I've resurrected the series today is all because my eight-grader, Matt, is taking high school French this year and as we were talking about France and it's modern music scene I thought it was about time that I cover their metal scene. Today's feature is a bit different then usually by the fact that I don't psychically own any material by this female-fronted band. I've only heard this 5-piece act on Youtube and on their home page which features a pop-up radio station. Formed in 2001 in Paris, Île-de-France the band ended up releasing 2, 3-track demos (2002 and 2003) and a 2004 EP called "Party Time". It's kind of interesting that the 6-track EP featured a cover of  "Zombie" by The Cranberries. Anyway, the band was only active until 2010 or so and did release one full-length recording called "Entertainment" in 2008. After the split their co-lead singer Sarah Layssac (who is reportedly also an actress) would go on to play in another French band called Arkan which, odd as it might sound, is a melodic death metal act that employees Middle Eastern elements into it's sound. OK. Anyway, this band featured both female and male vocalist (the group's rhythm guitarist Sky also sang alongside Sarah) with the female vocals being more smooth and mellow while the male parts come off as more harsh in a sort of death metal/ thrash metal style. As crazy as that sounds it did work for the group whose sound, if I was cornered and had to describe it over risk of death, was a combo of heavy power metal, melodic thrash and old-school heavy metal. Often the sound heard from this female-fronted band was heavy (well, duh), but in a "for the first time in it's life heavy rock finds out about thrash metal and gives it a go after a year or two of intense training" where the lead guitarist (Sevh) just "goes for it" while our man Sky provides the same sort of crunchy playing that made Scott Ian so popular. The Outburst also featured bass player Araneae (who now plays guitar in another French band called Blashyrkh) and drummer Kmy who collectively made up a smashing good rhythm section. Even if the band didn't set out to reinvent heavy metal thrash in their own image, they had more then enough going for them as "Entertainment" proved. Reportedly they described their own style as "hedo metal" while the Metal Archives uses the addition term "post-thrash". I'm not so sure about that one, but The Outburst seemed to me to almost be like a female-fronted Tourniquet with equal access to both bands like Anthrax and Metallica and modern rock radio. If anyone has any more info on this band or knows where I can get a copy of their EP and lone album here in the states it would be much appreciated!

http://www.theoutburst.com/index.php?lien=news

Gut Scrapers- Gimme Your Soul

Pure Steel Promotions
2012

It's always good to see the hard work of self-relying bands pay off. Gut Scrapers, who hail from Nimes, France, have the good fortune to have signed up with Pure Steel Promotions in a bid to push this album beyond it's native shores. That looks to be a win-win for both parties involved. Formed in 2008, with 2 demos preceding this full-length debut album, this 5-piece act was initially dawn together over a shared love of bands like AC/DC and Aerosmith as well as artists such as Slash. First issued at the tale end of  2012 (originally as a self-released recording one would assume) this album is made up of hard drinking (and even harder living) tunes that would rock the shell off of most clubs whether in their home country of France or not! While it's not as gritty as something you might expect to here rocking out of dive bars here in the states there still a wonderfully raw appeal to their hard and heavy rock n' roll style. The band's lead vocalist (who also handles acoustic guitar duties) is one Thierry Pitarch.  Sounding for all the world like Lemmy's cousin getting singing lessons from Udo Dirkschneider (if you can only imagine that!) his gruff vocals give this 5-piece act a little extra charm. That charm goes a long way as one could argue that guitarists William Cortier and Fred Fages ride the AC/DC fan wagon a little too close for comfort on "Gimmie Your Soul". Granted other acts come into play like G N' R, Accept, L.A. Guns, Poison (although certainly the more harder riffs of said band), Cinderella and yes, even Lemmy's band. Armed with a fairly lethal rhythm section in bassist Florent Cacheleux and drummer Pierre Mercier the band tears through the album's ten tracks with well over 75% of the material being downright garage rock groovy. Honestly, if I was reading about a band who drew from everyone from Aerosmith to Accept (and yes, even some 80's hair band influences) that actually kicked ass well, I'd also be a skeptic. It works though. Let's be clear though about who these guys are. For the record these guys lean more towards muscular metal than glitzy glam. Their raw material (meaning not for the kiddos) pushes this bunch more towards a traditional hard rock mentality so those looking for another retro-loving hair band will be sorely disappointed. However, the band does spice things up often times with blues riffs and even some jazz/fusion-type guitar playing so they are not quite a complete metal outfit either. The thing is these guys are the very definition of open-minded hard rock and, as the tear up and down the road way of life, they have a really good shot of catching on with the crowd that likes both AC/DC and Motörhead. The bottom line then? Well, this one is a really solid debut-album that shows room for improvement and yet, if you get right down the meat of the matter, it still does a smashing job of pumping out gritty hard rock music that easy to appreciate.

French Metal Friday: Der Kaiser

For today's French Metal Friday article I've decided to cover the (somewhat) cult 80's band Der Kaiser. The band (whose name means "the Emperor" in case you couldn't figure it out) was formed in 1981 by bassist Thierryi and drummer Philippe. In short order the pair recruited guitar players Beno & P’tit Tchong and then lead singer Pascal. The band would go on to record a self-titled/self-release demo (1983) before being signed to the one and only French label Devil's Records. Name a good French heavy metal band from the eighties and chances are that Devil's Records had them on their roster. "Vautours", which was released in 1984, is rather typical eighties heavy metal and yet it ranks among my favorite French metal releases. It was followed in 1985 by "La Griffe De l'Empire" which saw Claude Thill (ADX, Alannah) take over the vocalist position. The band was supposedly working on a third album when they broke up. Several factors contributed to the band's break-up but chief among them was lack of interest from their label and a changing metal scene in France. The first to bail was drummer Philippe followed by the rest of the outfit. All would be silent on the Der Kaiser front until January 2009 when the band played for the first time in something like 23 years! Since then the band has played out and are considered active, but with their last release being "La Griffe de l'Empire" there isn't much new musically. To be honest I'm not so sure either album are available on CD so for those interested in checking out this fun eighties heavy metal band it's either search out their LPs on places like Ebay or download their music online.

French Metal Friday: ADX

ADX are one of those French bands that has managed to carve out a nice career for themselves in their homeland, where they are a highly respected group, and yet they are hardly known by the heavy metal community at large. Outside of their native country ADX are at best thought of as the French's answer to Agent Steel. And while that description is fair, the band's debut album, "Exécution", being one of the best speed metal albums of all time, they do have more to offer fans. This Paris act was formed in 1982 and, as was the case with most bands of that time period, they sang in an unapologetic manor entirely in French. After two demos, both of which were released in 1984, the band's top-notch sound could no longer be ignored and they were signed to Devil Records. In 1985 the group released the cult album "Exécution" with "La Terreur" released the following year. The band would remain an active part of the French metal scene, releasing studio albums and proving to be a popular live act, until sometime in 1992 when they decided to take a break. After six years away from the scene the 1998 best of/compilation album "In Memorium" was released. Also in 1998, with public interest peaked again, ADX would do a short reunion. That same year saw the release of ADX's comeback album, "Résurrectionin". With the French public yet again worked up in a frenzy by their homegrown heroes a live album was released in 2001 ( "VIII Sentence"). For whatever reason though after the live album's release ADX went on yet another hiatus. They would however reform again in 2006 before releasing a new album, "Division Blindée", in 2008. Since then the band has been going steady. Their latest album, "Immortel", was released in 2011 and, while I have not heard it personally, from all accounts it finds the band in top-from. ADX were one of those bands who never felt the need to conform to others expectations. The band continue to sing in their native tongue and, while that no doubt limits their appeal to English-speaking fans, play their own potent brand of French steel. If you are not familiar with their music I would probably suggest you start with the band's debut album and work your way up. The two albums that follow, “La Terreur“ and “Suprematie” are also killer, but their debut album, “Execution”, has become a real cult classic because of it's mixture of speed metal and power metal. One of these days I hope to fill in the holes in my ADX collection, but as a single father I often times find other priorities come first. In the meantime I can't help but wish that more people would become familiar with this cult French metal act.

French Metal Friday: Ocean

Today's French Metal Friday feature actually dates back to 11/11/11. That was the date when I first started working on this Ocean article. At the time I couldn't even find a picture on the band online let alone any solid leads to a back story on the group. It wasn't for lack of trying that I finally decided to just walk away from the article. No, there was just very little information to be found on Ocean. Even now (after all the months that have passed) I'm still left trying to find my way around in the dark. In this modern era Ocean is just one of those acts that you'll find very little information about online and what information you do come across is usually in French! Given that I own their marvelous import 4 CD Set, "Story, Live & More", you'd think I'd know more about this interesting French outfit. Especially as it came with a nice booklet and all. But, as the booklet is also French I am left wondering just what made this band evolve the way they did? I do know a few tidbits from searching the web and using translation software. The band was founded in 1974 by guitarist/keyboardist George Bodossian. George came up with the idea for the name of the band while listening to the Yes album "Tales from Topographic Oceans". Apparently he liked the fact that Ocean meant the same thing in English as it did French. The group's first album, "God's Clown", was released in 1976 and is actually sung entirely in English which was a novelty at the time for French rock groups. While most people do seem to recall that the band had a hard rock/heavy metal sound going for them in the eighties (when they toured with a Bon Scott lead AC/DC and Iron Maiden) the group's first album from 1976 is anything but metal. Well, that isn't entirely true as it does borrow slightly from Led Zeppelin (mostly in the fact that some people think vocalist Robert Belmonte bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain Robert Plant) and early Rush. So, if you consider the ever so slight influences those two bands had on the group's members (as well as Deep Purple and Queen) you could argue the point that it is early proto-metal. With that said it has become more of a cult favorite among progressive rock fans thanks to it's very distinct love of all things King Crimson. Other supposed early influences included Cream, Frank Zappa, Weather Report and Jimi Hendrix. I'd also say that Yes played a role in the group's early sound as well as psychedelic rock. I've listened to "God's Clown" several times through and even if I am not a huge fan of progressive rock it is an interesting affair and an album that needs a bigger audience. So, how do you go from a band that was rolling with King Crimson and other progressive influences to hard rock/heavy metal? That I really don't know. Further information on the band's move from progressive rock to heavy metal has been hard to find. No doubt the group was influenced by the changing musical landscape. With bands like Trust on the national scene it seems likely that the evolution to all things hard rock was an easy enough choice. The choice to go from singing in English to singing in French though was another story altogether. From what I have been able to gather it was the band's record company that pushed them to sing in their native language as that was the trend back then. Now, of the four albums in their catalog it is really the band's self-titled second album that would be of most interest to metal fans. It features 12 tracks of hard rock/heavy metal that while sung entirely in French is simply too good to be ignored. Fans of Trust, Sortilege, Warning, H-Bomb and Satan Jokers would do well to track down a copy of the album as it features some of the best French metal I've had the pleasure of hearing. If your not familiar with those names then let's just say that there was a good reason why Ocean was able to tour with both AC/DC and Iron Maiden. Because they bridged the gap between those two greats Ocean could be seen as a hard rock/NWOBHM hybrid. The album has been re-issued from all accounts with bonus material tacked on. It is still an import item though so it might be hard to find for a reasonable price. As stated the band released four albums altogether before apparently splitting. The other albums, "Ocean" (yes, it is confusing having two albums named the same thing) and "A'Live + B" (half studio, half live) are interesting enough items, but it is the band's progressive rock debut album and later day self-titled heavy metal album that I am continually drawn back to. The fact that they pull off both genres with such ease says a lot for the group's talent as a whole. If anyone can shed more light on this unique act please get in touch with me.