French Metal

Fátima – Moaner Review

By GardensTale on April 5, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, French Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Doom Metal, 58 comments

“As devoted readers, you may recall the Big Hoss himself released an expanded and updated article filled to the brim with advice for bands attempting to prostrate themselves before us. The first of the undoubtedly approaching tidal wave of bands that worship the article and obey it like scripture is Fátima, a French doom metal band that actually went and sent us lossless FLAC files, a move that will set an important precedent among hopefuls knocking down our door.” Give us your finest sound files!

Melted Space – Darkening Light Review

By El Cuervo on March 25, 2018 in 2018, French Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Sensory Records, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 28 comments

“Headed up by pianist, keyboardist, and classically-trained composer Pierre Le Pape, Melted Space represents an ambitious attempt to unify heavy metal with an opera, featuring a full orchestra and a cohort of guest vocalists and musicians which would make Arjen Lucassen (of Ayreon) and Tobias Sammet (of Avantasia) think twice.”Go big or go back to the conservatory.

Eryn Non Dae. – Abandon of the Self Review

By Master of Muppets on March 12, 2018 in 2018, Ambient Metal, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, French Metal, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, 114 comments

“Eryn Non Dae.’s follow-up to 2012’s Meliora is something I’d long dreamt of, and thanks to France and the promo bin I – with humble objectivity and tact – get to demonstrate to you bitches once again why Muppet taste is best taste. Spoiler alert: this album is fucking glorious.” Franks and fiends.

Öblivïon – Resilience Review

By Swordborn on February 26, 2018 in 2018, French Metal, Power Metal, Rock of Angels Records, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 0 comments

Those readers who have been following the metal scene for a few years are quite probably acquainted with French heavy/power act Nightmare; those who have been with us a bit longer are almost certainly aware that said band’s stretch from 2001 to 2005 saw a dead excellent trio of albums from a creative, traditionally-influenced powerhouse performing at the height of its skill. Today’s review, that of Öblivïon’s Resilience, will everywhere be compared to Nightmare’s “classic” era of the 00’s decade due to the involvement of Jo and David Amore and Steff Rabilloud. The former pair – brothers – were core members of that band, and Rabilloud had a brief stint as keyboardist.” Nightmare by another name.

Chaos Echœs – Mouvement Review

By Master of Muppets on February 19, 2018 in 2018, Avante Garde, Black Metal, French Metal, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

“Contrary to popular belief, researchers have recently concluded that all metal does not, in fact, sound the same. Turns out, there are completely different styles of metal altogether. Like, tons of them. There’s a speed one, and a black one, and a doooom one and a melodeath… *ahem* Anyway, the point of my having shattered your world with such unfathomable concepts was to pave the way for blasphemous trvth bomb number two: it’s not always about the riffs, yo.” Metal awareness.

Ophe – Litteras Ad Tristia Maestrum Solitude Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 17, 2018 in 2018, Avante Garde, Black Metal, French Metal, My Kingdom Music, Reviews, Black Metal, 0 comments

“It’s a big deal when a band lists major influences, like Ævangelist, Dodecahedron, and Blut Aus Nord, in their biography. Sometimes it’s an innocent list, meant to feed the reader with keywords. Other times, it’s misleading. In Ophe’s case, the list ain’t that far off, as the band takes their forefather’s black/avant-garde style and French’s the fuck out of it. It’s Dodecahedron’s low-end, mixed with the dark, distant blackness of Ævangelist and layers of Område and Spektr. When you look deeper into Ophe, this isn’t a surprise. Considering that this one-man band consists of Område’s own Bargnatt XIX. But this ain’t no Område.” One, man, one basement.

Holophonics – Fast Forward Review

By Kronos on February 8, 2018 in 2018, Alt-Metal, French Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Alt-Metal, 1 comment

“In an effort to expand my horizons, suppress my average scores, and prevent this blog from becoming a black- and power-metal only publication, I’ve decided to spend more of 2018 with the dregs of the promo bin; bands no one likes, no one has heard of, or no one has the courage to approach given their genre tag. With the questionable name of Holophonics and the even more questionable tag of ‘Alt Metal,’ I feared that Fast Forward was a product from the center of that Venn diagram.” Deep is the promo sump.

Bind Torture Kill – Viscères Review

By Master of Muppets on February 6, 2018 in 2018, Crust Punk, Death Metal, French Metal, Grind, Hardcore, Reviews, WOOAAARGH, Death Metal, Grind, Hardcore, 34 comments

“This January, the Angry Metal Gods saw fit to bless us with multitudes of favor during what strange, countless aeons of headbanging have typically proven to be the darkest of times for trve believers, and we all say thank-ya. February it may be, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to say goodbye to Jørnuary tidings, and it’s definitely not time to stop saying thank-ya. By the deity-defying powers of Muppets, France, and procrastination, let us bask in the revitalizing glory of 2018’s expectations-shattering induction for just a little longer. Friends, meet Viscères, the second full-length by Bind Torture Kill.” Fashionably late and brvtal.

Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures Review

By Saunders on November 26, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 34 comments

“I hadn’t paid much attention to France’s Aosoth until they dropped the captivating IV: An Arrow in Heart LP in 2013, a dark and crushing affair of malicious, dissonant black metal. Admittedly I have only flirted with the remainder of their back catalog since, with nothing much, to my ears, standing up to the colossal An Arrow in Heart. The album’s hefty production and outside elements almost made it sound like Aosoth were a black metal band, in a particularly evil and hulking death metal body, with the songwriting smarts to craft an equally punishing, challenging and addictive opus. Now, after four years, Aosoth return hellbent on continuing their twisted conceptual mission and hammering home the fact that no-one does black metal quite like the French.” Black arrows ov death.

No Return – The Curse Within Review

By GardensTale on November 22, 2017 in 2017, French Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 37 comments

“My first plunge on that trip occurred somewhere late 2003, almost half a lifetime ago. It was the release of Dance of Death by Iron Maiden, though I had been primed by popular bands such as Rammstein and System of a Down, and my father’s extensive classic rock collection before that. Soon I found myself rocking out to the unprecedented brutality of Children of Bodom and Norther, diving headfirst into the world of melodic death metal. Listening to No Return, I am transported back to those halcyon days, despite never hearing the French band before picking The Curse Within from the promo bin.” History-core for dummies.