Tag Archives: clément

Album Review – Ways. / Are We Still Alive? EP (2024)

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Continuing to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots, one of the best bands of the current French scene returns with their electrifying third EP.

Following up on their previous releases Watching From Afar, from 2016, and Aftermath, released in 2018, Paris, France-based Post-Hardcore/Alternative Metal act Ways. is back in action with their third EP, titled Are We Still Alive?, where they continue to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots. Mixed and mastered by Nicolas Exposito (Landmvrks) and Robin Mariat (Resolve), the new EP by vocalist Clément, guitarists Bruno and Nico, and newcomers Anthony on bass and Etienne on drums offers more of their trademark powerful, dynamic and melodic sounds, being recommended for fans of Architects, Alexisonfire, The Ghost Inside, Thrice, Underoath and more.

The band wastes no time and begins their electrifying feast of Alternative Metal and Hardcore in Forgiveness, showcasing a more violent side of their sound thanks to the awesome screams by Clément while Bruno and Nico bring forward sheer melody and rage through their riffs. Why Do We Fall? is a neck-breaking creation by Ways. that will work amazingly whenever played live, with Etienne presenting his welcome card by smashing his drums in great fashion; followed by World Worn Out, showcasing the story of a world at the end of its tether, a world exhausted by human behavior in its entirety, offering us all poetic lyrics (“I must seek Bellerophon / To defeat those monsters / Who spew their flames / A fin to eat / Blood to drink / It makes me sick / Pull the trigger / No wonder they smile on their thrones / When I see what they do for stones”) amidst a very melodic yet visceral sound crafted by such talented band. Bruno and Nico keep slashing their axes supported by the classic bass by Anthony in Erase, while Clément continues to roar manically in the name of Hardcore and Metalcore, flowing into So Far So Good (Redux), a revamp of one of the songs from their 2018 EP, sounding groovier and more metallic than the original one, which proves the evolution in their musicianship.

“Are we still alive? It’s a question we’ve faced regularly over the past three years, regarding the state of the band. Between the two years of COVID-related crisis that have prevented us from seeing each other, rehearsing and playing live, line-up changes and certain upheavals in the lives of certain band members that have impacted the way we work, compose and record, we’ve spent a lot of time hanging on and finding solutions to continue to exist. We’re proud to be here and to present this new EP. Of course, the various themes addressed by the songs on this EP are also consistent with this question,” commented the band about their brand new offering, and if you want to show those French metallers your support you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Are We Still Alive? from their own BandCamp page (or click HERE for all things Ways.). In the end, the question is, are you still alive? If your answer is yes, what are you waiting for to enjoy the first-class fusion of Post-Hardcore and Alternative Metal by one of the best bands of the modern metal music scene hailing from France?

Best moments of the album: Forgiveness and Why Do We Fall?.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Forgiveness 3:40
2. Why Do We Fall? 4:04
3. World Worn Out 2:54
4. Erase 3:44
5. So Far So Good (Redux) 3:45

Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar, vocals
Anthony – bass
Etienne – drums

Album Review – Ways. / Aftermath EP (2018)

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One of the most promising alternative bands from France returns with another powerful, dynamic and melodic display of modern-day rock and metal music.

After a promising career start with the release of their debut EP Watching From Afar, in 2016, Paris-based Alternative Rock/Metal act Ways. is back with the second installment of their always-evolving musical path, entitled Aftermath, an 8-track EP that brings all the band’s characteristic elements from their previous release, sounding powerful, dynamic and melodic throughout its almost 27 minutes of music.

Featuring a minimalistic and stylish artwork by Maxime Larrouturou, Aftermath once again presents an inspired band mixing several influences and styles in their music, from Alternative Rock and Metal to Post-Hardcore, while at the same time maintaining a very cohesive and solid core essence. Comprised of Clément on vocals, Bruno and Nico on the guitars, newcomer Niko on bass, and Tony on drums, Ways. are ready to strike once again with their uncompromising, unrelenting and modern music, and I’m sure you’ll have a good time listening to their unique creations in Aftermath.

Sheer melancholy flows from the guitars by Bruno and Nico in the introspective intro Twilight Until Dawn, before the band begins firing an acid message together with their aggressive, adrenaline-fueled instrumental in the modern-day Alternative Metal tune Death Row, with Clément growling the song’s lyrics in a desperate and anguished mode (“But the people around me / Don’t seem to want to play with me. / My neighbors, day after day, / Are caught, / The cages emptied and filled, / The door is closed behind me, / I believe in a game full of life and joy”). In However…, Rock N’ Roll riffs are blended with the more aggressive lines of Alternative Metal, with Tony smashing his drums and, consequently, giving the song a stronger vibe, while Clément presents some cleaner vocals amidst his furious screams; whereas in And Nobody Cares, Ways. accelerate their speed and increase their electricity, bringing hints of Melodic Death Metal and Metalcore to their characteristic sonority. In a nutshell, this is the song tailored for banging your heads nonstop, thanks to the crushing riffs by Bruno and Nico and the violent beats by Tony.

So Far So Good brings forward a belligerent sound led by the razor-edged riffs by the band’s guitar duo, while bassist Niko joins Tony to create a beyond dense background. Then we have a somber, pensive instrumental bridge titled Thirteen, setting the tone for the also fierce With Love, the most alternative of all songs from the EP, ignited by the metallic bass by Niko and with Clément delivering his piercing clean vocals as well as his deranged growls while the rest of the band fires melodious and heavy sounds from start to finish. And lastly, as a bonus track the band offers us all I See No Beauty, showcasing more of their slashing Alternative Metal and Rock and presenting austere lyrics about ecology, global warming, poaching and animals mistreatment (“Dropped in the jungle, / Still so young, / I try using violence, / I test, / I experience, / I grow up and feed myself / I see no beauty in the species that made me”).

To sum up, the second step in the career of Ways. is beyond solid and promising, showcasing a band that’s even sharper and more focused than before, and if you want to show your support to this French quintet go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on YouTube, and purchase Aftermath (which is available for a full listen on Spotify or on YouTube) from the band’s own BandCamp page. I’m certain that the next step for this talented Post-Hardcore/Metal act will be the release of their first full-length album, which will represent the combination of a lot of hard work, dedication and energy, and it doesn’t matter how long it takes for that to happen, if it’s as half as good as the music found in Aftermath it will certainly be worth the wait.

Best moments of the album: Death Row and And Nobody Cares.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2018 Independent

Track listing
1. Twilight Until Dawn 2:01
2. Death Row 3:14
3. However… 3:13
4. And Nobody Cares 3:32
5. So Far So Good 3:44
6. Thirteen 2:20
7. With Love 6:02

Bonus track
8. I See No Beauty 2:41

Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar
Niko – bass
Tony – drums

Album Review – Ways. / Watching From Afar EP (2016)

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Mixing several influences and musical styles from Alternative Rock to Post-Hardcore, this up-and-coming French quintet might be exactly what you’re looking for in modern heavy music.

Rating5

ways_watching-from-afarMixing several influences and musical styles, French Alternative Rock/Metal act Ways. might be exactly what you’re looking for in alternative music, offering a wide variety of genres in their compositions that will please fans of heavier groups such as Deftones, Marilyn Manson and Killswitch Engage, to radio-friendly bands like Foo Fighters. And that harmonious but still fierce fusion of styles can be easily witnessed in their debut EP entitled Watching From Afar, a six-track album that nicely summarizes what Ways. are capable of, their main influences and their goals with their music.

Formed in 2013 in Paris, France, this talented quintet brings forward dynamic and melodic music displaying elements from Alternative Rock, Heavy Metal and Post-Hardcore, among others, always keeping their musicality fresh and vibrant throughout the almost 20 minutes in Watching From Afar. You’ll be positively surprised by the band due to all their sudden tempo changes and variations, going from harsh and desperate screams to gentle vocals and smooth guitar sounds. Featuring a sexy artwork by French photographer Sebastien Bessac, Watching From Afar can entertain you at a pub, at home, in your car or anywhere else good music is required.

In the opening track, titled My Blue Stain, a melodic beginning quickly turns into a blend of Metalcore and Alternative Metal, with lead singer Clément smoothly transitioning from harsh screams to clean vocals. Furthermore, it’s easy to notice influences from Deftones and In Flames, among other bands, in all instruments, which is also the case in As A Duty, showcasing a lighter side of the band with Bruno and Nico doing a great job on guitars, firing gentle lines and heavier riffs in sync with the vocals by Clément. Overflowing anguish and melancholy, this nice composition displays hints of Alternative Rock (in special during the song’s calm passages) that add an extra flavor to the overall result. And in Misty Hope, despite starting in a calm and relaxing way, vocal lines keep fierce and deranged, being recommended for fans of Foo Fighters and Deftones in pursuit of a higher level of aggressiveness in music. In addition to that, drummer Tony leads the song’s pace with his rhythmic beats, increasing its effectiveness and appeal for the delight of the listener.

waysThe title-track Watching From Afar is an instrumental track that’s more progressive and introspective than everything else in the album (and also the shortest of all songs), a nice display of dexterity by all band members leading up to the melancholic tune Something To Say…, where the groovy and smooth lines by session bassist Thomas Houche, together with the atmospheric riffs by Bruno and Nico, provide all the support for another passionate performance by Clément on vocals. Watching From Afar closes with Twenty First Sectuary, the heaviest and in my opinion the best composition of the album, getting closer to Melodic Death Metal without losing the harmony of Metalcore. Not only all guitar lines by Bruno and Nico sound amazing in this chant, but Tony also pounds his drums harder than in any other song of the album, translating into more electricity and consequently accrediting it to be one of the best options for the band’s live performances.

You can get more details on the music and career by Ways. by visiting their Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram, and if you want to purchase Watching From Afar, simply go to their BandCamp page for a preview of the album and to get a physical copy of it, or you can also get it on iTunes, supporting not only Ways. but the entire heavy music independent scene. As previously mentioned, Ways. can offer you a wide range of heavy, classic and soft rock in their compositions, making your day better with their pleasant musicality and showing you that Watching From Afar is just the beginning and a nice sample of what’s coming next for those talented French musicians.

Best moments of the album: My Blue Stain and Twenty First Sectuary.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. My Blue Stain 3:17
2. As A Duty 4:48
3. Misty Hope 3:17
4. Watching From Afar 2:13
5. Something To Say… 3:11
6. Twenty First Sectuary 3:39

Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar
Elo – bass
Tony – drums

Guest musician
Thomas Houche – bass (session)