Tag Archives: france

Album Review – Usquam / Ex Nihilo (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most promising hordes hailing from France attacks with a beyond stunning fusion of Black, Death, Doom and Post-Metal, exploring the depths of the human soul.

Since their inception back in 2018, Paris, France-based horde Usquam (also stylized in capital letters as USQUAM, a Latin adverb that means “anywhere” or “in any place”) has been shaping their own version of “blackened metal music” by combining Black, Death, Doom and Post-Metal, always with endless violence and melancholy. Now in 2025 the band formed of newcomer Jessy “Christ” Vignolle on vocals alongside guitarists Etienne “Eithenn” Gonin and Jonathan “Draugr”, and bassist Alain “Alwan” Nicolle has just unleashed upon us their first full-length opus, entitled Ex Nihilo, following up on their 2021 EP Reborn. Produced, mixed and mastered by Fred Gervais at Studio Henosis, the album showcases a central concept related to the ”Primordial Tradition”, a fundamental human experience that some believe contains all truths of all religions. Add to that the fact their lyrics explore the depths of the human soul in French, English and Latin, and there you have a bold, dense, detailed and captivating album of extreme music that’s at the same time meaningful and haunting.

Altar Ego sounds utterly atmospheric and enfolding from the very first second, with the band’s Post-Black Metal vein pulsing majestically, led by the deep, anguished roars by Jessy; whereas Etienne and Jonathan sound inhumane armed with their caustic riffs in Axis Mundi, offering us all a crushing, scorching fusion of Black and Death Metal. Then we’re treated to Athanor with its over six minutes of absolute darkness, sending shivers down our spines in the best Blackened Death Metal way possible while Alain pounds his bass with endless fury and dexterity; and a sinister, ritualistic intro explodes into an overdose of violence and obscurity led by the demented harsh screams by Jessy in Ego Sum (Qui Sum), while Alain once again destroys his bass, all spiced up by a striking solo by Etienne. And investing in a more lugubrious Doom Metal sonority we have Arcana Nox, with the cryptic sounds of Post-Black Metal adding a welcome extra dosage of heaviness to the overall result.

Their venomous sounds keep permeating the air in Egocide, with its more symphonic background enhancing its epicness, all while Jessy continue to growl like a true she-demon, followed by the thunderous The Mast, the most complex, intricate and multi-layered of all songs, a lecture in Blackened Death, Doom and Post-Metal with a melancholic, atmospheric start morphing into a pulverizing attack by the band. Moreover, whoever played drums in this album is indeed a headbanging beast. There’s still time for another melodic yet vile creation by Usquam titled Symbol, with the metallic, in-your-face bass lines by Alain hitting our cranial skulls mercilessly, and closing the album it’s time for a full Post-Black Metal aria entitled Persévérance, a majestic composition where Jessy sounds so anguished and desperate on vocals it’s beautiful and disturbing at the same time.

A melodic, symphonic and modern feast of Black Metal embraced by careful arrangements in which spirituality and philosophy are expressed, Ex Nihilo will certainly appeal to fans of bands the likes of Naglfar, Dimmu Borgir, Dark Funeral, and Gaerea, among many others, positioning Usquam as a force to be reckoned with in the underworld of extreme music. You can enjoy Ex Nihilo in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, as well as on other streaming platforms, get to know more about such a unique band of the French scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and of course purchase a copy of this precious gem of heavy music from the Source Atone Records’ webstore as a digipak CD + booklet or as a very special digipak CD + booklet + shirt combo (or simply click HERE for all things Usquam). “Ex nihilo” is a Latin phrase meaning “out of nothing”, referring to “creatio ex nihilo”, the belief that matter is not eternal, but had to be divinely created; having said that, what are you waiting for to join one of the most promising names of the metal scene worldwide in their metallic studies of the human soul?

Best moments of the album: Axis Mundi, Ego Sum (Qui Sum), The Mast and Persévérance.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Source Atone Records

Track listing
1. Altar Ego 5:07
2. Axis Mundi 4:32
3. Athanor 6:06
4. Ego Sum (Qui Sum) 3:28
5. Arcana Nox 4:19
6. Egocide 3:04
7. The Mast 5:31
8. Symbol 4:20
9. Persévérance 5:38

Band members
Jessy “Christ” Vignolle – vocals
Etienne “Eithenn” Gonin – lead guitars
Jonathan “Draugr” – guitars
Alain “Alwan” Nicolle – bass

Album Review – Fractal Universe / The Great Filters (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

This Progressive Death Metal outfit strikes again with their thrilling fourth studio album, a sonic journey like no other blending progressive tendencies with Jazz elements.

Having self-released their debut EP Boundaries of Reality in 2015, followed by the full-length albums Engram of Decline (2017), Rhizomes of Insanity (2019), and The Impassable Horizon (2021), Nancy, Grand Est, France-based Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit Fractal Universe returns to action now in 2025 with their fourth studio effort, entitled The Great Filters. Once again blending progressive tendencies with Jazz elements, philosophical topics such as existentialism and the fragmented nature of human consciousness, innovative songwriting and high production quality, the new album by Vince Wilquin on vocals, guitars and saxophone, Yohan Dully on the guitars, Valentin Pelletier on bass, and Clément Denys on drums invites the listener to embark on a sonic journey like no other, helping those French metallers in reaching the peak of the Progressive Metal mountain worldwide.

Their progressive and metallic vein arises from the very first second in The Void Above, with the enraged roars by Vince walking hand in hand with the beyond intricate bass and drums by Valentin and Clément, respectively. Then continuing to experiment with different sounds and nuances we have The Great Filter, while staying true to their core Death Metal essence; whereas the Djent-infused bass by Valentin will hammer our heads in Causality’s Grip, accompanied by the whimsical guitar lines by Vince and Yohan, sounding like a Progressive Death Metal version of Dream Theater. And The Seed of Singularity is another song that goes heavy on bass, with a futuristic background providing Vince with all he needs to shine on vocals.

After that we’re treated to The Equation of Abundance, a smooth and charming ballad by the band, with the harsh vociferations by Vince bringing an extra touch of anguish and melancholy to the overall result; then investing in a heavier, more thunderous sound the band blasts our faces with Specific Obsolescence, with all of its breaks and variations, boosted by Clément’s spot-on drumming and Vince’s melancholic saxophone, turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre. Dissecting the Real is another complex, vibrant and multi-layered creation by the band, offering more of the stylish riffs by Vince and Yohan, plus the endless heaviness flowing from Clément’s drums, followed by Concealed, a six-minute explosion of Progressive Death Metal led by the striking riffage by Vince and Yohan. Finally, the album ends on a strong note with A New Cycle, where the classy sound of the saxophone by Vince beautifully clashes with their visceral Death Metal sounds.

If their previous albums like their latest opus The Impassable Horizon already exhaled progressiveness and rage, it’s with The Great Filters that the quartet takes a huge step forward in their career, solidifying their core sound without repeating themselves or getting stale, always working towards innovation, and always with a lot of energy, passion and focus on their music. You can get more information about the band by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on their YouTube channel or on Spotify, and above all that, show them your utmost support by purchasing a copy of The Great Filters by clicking HERE. In other words, if you love the complexity of Progressive Metal, but at the same time you’re an admirer of the visceral sound of Death Metal, then Fractal Universe might be exactly what you’re looking for in the underground, with their newborn opus sounding and feeling absolutely sharp and exciting for our total delight.

Best moments of the album: The Void Above, Specific Obsolescence and Dissecting the Real.

Worst moments of the album: The Great Filter.

Released in 2025 M-Theory Audio

Track listing
1. The Void Above 4:26
2. The Great Filter 3:41
3. Causality’s Grip 3:35
4. The Seed of Singularity 4:08
5. The Equation of Abundance 6:25
6. Specific Obsolescence 6:49
7. Dissecting the Real 5:23
8. Concealed 6:05
9. A New Cycle 5:04

Band members
Vince Wilquin – vocals, guitars, saxophone
Yohan Dully – guitars
Valentin Pelletier – bass
Clément Denys – drums

Album Review – March Of Scylla / Andromeda (2025)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold the debut full-length opus by this excellent French Post-Metal act, delving into the vastness of space and humanity’s intricate relationship with science, the cosmos, and the afterlife.

A dark Progressive and Post-Metal project that explores through ancient myths all the afflictions that humanity encounters, Amiens, France-based March Of Scylla are unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, entitled Andromeda, the follow-up to their previous EPs Archives and Dark Myth. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Francis Caste at the renowned Studio Sainte-Marthe, the newborn spawn by vocalist Florian Vasseur, guitarist Christofer Fraisier, bassist Robert Desbiendras and drummer Gilles Masson delves into the vastness of space and humanity’s intricate relationship with science, the cosmos, and the afterlife, being highly recommended for admirers of the music by Gojira, Tesseract, Sleep Token, and Architects.

Elements from Djent are intertwined with the band’s core Progressive Metal sounds in Ulysses’ Lies, led by the classic drums by Gilles, whereas futuristic sounds permeate the air in the hammering Death Experience, with the metallic bass by Robert hitting us hard mercilessly while Florian declaims the song’s lyrics in great fashion. They keep blasting a wild fusion of Progressive and Post-Metal with Djent and Groove Metal in The Royal Way, perfect for some vigorous headbanging, followed by To Cassiopeia, an atmospheric, eerie and lengthy interlude that sets the tone for Dark Matter, where Florian growls and screams with tons of anguish while also firing delicate yet piercing clean vocals.

The band continues to blast our ears with their melodic and heavy hitting music in Storm Dancer, with Robert’s bass and Gilles’ beats making our heads tremble, instantly merging with BlaAst, bringing forward over six minutes of atmospheric and groovy passages, with the heaviness flowing from all instruments supporting Florian’s powerful vocals. Gilles puts the pedal to the metal and hammers his drums nonstop in Achilles’ Choice, an overdose of Progressive Post-Metal with the bass by Robert sounding utterly metallic; and Florian bursts his lungs screaming in the beyond melodic Myrrha, accompanied by the scorching riffs by Christopher in a lesson in Post-Metal. And last but not least, March of Scylla will smash us all with their Post-Metal onrush in Cosmogony, again showcasing all their energy, versatility and heaviness.

Themes of existential anxiety, social injustice, and deep emotional struggles intertwine with personal storytelling, universal mythology, and historical context throughout the entire album, offering a powerful and thought-provoking musical journey that’s definitely worth a good and detailed listen, and you can show your support to the band by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming service, and above all that, by purchasing Andromeda from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. After all is said and done, there’s a clear evolution in the music by March Of Scylla in Andromeda compared to their previous efforts, paving a bright future ahead of them while they keep delivering sheer sonic awesomeness in the near future, both with other striking albums like their debut one and with their undisputed focus, hardwork and passion for heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Death Experience, BlaAst and Myrrha.

Worst moments of the album: To Cassiopeia.

Released in 2025 Klonosphere Records/Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Ulysses’ Lies 5:00
2. Death Experience 6:44
3. The Royal Way 4:48
4. To Cassiopeia 2:45
5. Dark Matter 4:17
6. Storm Dancer 4:51
7. BlaAst 6:19
8. Achilles’ Choice 4:49
9. Myrrha 4:20
10. Cosmogony 6:07

Band members
Florian Vasseur – vocals
Christofer Fraisier – guitars
Robert Desbiendras – bass
Gilles Masson – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Lorena Moraes

Posted on by
Reply

Depuis les lumières… Vers les ténèbres… La République est en marche!

March might still be a very cold month, maybe not as cold as January and February, but absolutely freakin’ cold if you live in the Northern Hemisphere in places like Canada, Finland, Russia and Belgium. And why did I mention Belgium instead of other colder countries, one might ask? Well, let’s say our metal lady of the month of March might have been born in a warm country, but she currently resides in Belgium, bringing some very welcome heat to “the Battlefield of Europe” with her powerful growls and badass attitude. Her name is Lorena Moraes, the frontwoman for an amazing Belgian Technical Death Metal entity known as Triagone, and I’m sure after this short and sweet tribute to her career in heavy music you’ll develop a strong craving for more of her music.

As aforementioned, Lorena wasn’t born in Belgium, but in the sunny and warm country of Brazil, more specifically in the capital city of Brasília, located in the Brazilian highlands in the country’s Central-West region, and the seat of government of the Federal District. A former photographer at Escola do Futuro de Goiás em Artes Basileu França, located in Goiânia, the capital of Goiás state in central Brazil, Lorena studied at Faculdade Cambury in Brazil, before relocating to Brussels, Belgium’s capital and home to the European Union headquarters, expanding her photography skills by studying at Ecole de Photographie et de techniques visuelles – Ville de Bruxelles while also taking her first steps through the vast lands of Extreme Metal.

It was back in 2019 when Lorena, alongside vocalist and guitarist Lou-Indigo Caspar, guitarist Lucas Lembert, bassist Leonard Ivanciu and drummer Lorenzo Vissol formed the Technical Death Metal beast that goes by the stylish name of Triagone, with roots in Brazil, Italy, France and Belgium, and the explanation to the name chosen is indeed very interesting. According to the band itself, the word “triagone” is a hybrid word inspired by the ancient Greek word “agôn” (ἀγών), which means contest, competition, or disputation (and can refer to a physical or mental contest, or to a dramatic conflict in literature), and a direct reference to the Greek name “trigone”, which means three angles, or the triangle, in parallel with the band’s inspiration by the connection between mathematics and music, like certain demonstrations of trigonometric relations that can be found in the circle of fifths, the demonstration of the C major scale granted to Pythagoras and his demonstrations on triangles, among others. In the end, the fusion of those two Greek words gives the band’s name a third way of understanding the music played by Lorena and the boys. Furthermore, another topic mentioned by the band regarding their name is their message against the pyramid structure our society adopted, an analogy where we’re pretty much slaves building a pyramid stone by stone, trying to climb the ranks of society, with all inequality bringing a lot of disadvantage for the oppressed against the oppressor.

It was in the beginning of 2023 when Triagone released their debut effort, a six-track EP titled Sem Papyrvs, a play on words between Latin and Portuguese, as “sem” means without and “papyrvs” means paper, referring to anyone in a difficult or precarious situation, anyone without an identity, without wealth, without history, or without a diploma, with its 26 minutes of Brutal and Technical Death Metal inspired by classic metal music, baroque, and even Mesopotamian music, also featuring hints of Latin American music rhythms, and all sprinkled with a blend of male and female guttural voices in ancient Greek and Latin and modern Latin and Germanic languages. The names of the songs in Sem Papyrvs are a thing of beauty, starting with Novvs Ordo Seclorvm (“The New Order of the Ages”), followed by Abyssvs Abyssvm Invocat (“The Abyss Calls the Abyss”), Ad Mortem Sem Papyrvs (“To Death Without Paper”), Nvlla Regvla Sine Exceptione (“The New Rules Without Exception”), De Beata Vita (“The Blessed Life”), and Imperivm in Imperio (“Empire in Empire”).

One of the most compelling features in Triagone is the electrifying vocal duet comprised of Lorena and Lou-Indigo, which allows the band to explore new patterns and nuances, as well as the aforementioned lyrics in multiple languages, thanks to the undisputed combined talent of the duo. They can sound at the same time visceral and melodic, dissonant and cryptic, captivating and menacing, purely mathematical and extremely violent, and you can enjoy all that on most streaming services, like Spotify. As a matter of fact, Lou-Indigo explained in an interview that the band had to rework some of the rhythms, textures and timbres (mainly because he mocks up everything with his own voice) after Lorena joined the band, as they wanted her voice to be more present in the final product. Also, although she’s not responsible for all vocal parts nor for all lyrics, this is something Lou-Indigo wants to change in the near future, giving her more singing time, more flexibility, and therefore let her be the main vocalist of the band.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Before joining Triagone, Lorena was the vocalist for a Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal band named Suttura, and another one named Erinyes, both from the city of Goiânia. Suttura was formed back in 2010 by Lorena alongside drummer Sílvio, bassist Thiago and guitarist Rildo, and although there isn’t a lot of information online about the band, you can stream some of their creations on YouTube, including the excellent songs Need of War, Overlook, and Villas Boas Incident. Furthermore, back in 2015 the band played at the 21st edition of a Brazilian rock and metal festival named Goiânia Noise Festival, at a venue named Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, together with renowned acts the likes of Nervochaos and Ratos de Porão, and countless amazing underground bands from Brazil and other parts of the world, and before that in 2013 they played at the 11th edition of Headbanger’s Attack Festival, held at Círculo Operário do Cruzeiro Velho in Brasília, with each of the eight bands from that specific festival having at least one woman in their lineup as a tribute to the bands Valhalla and Flammea. Apart form Suttura, the festival also featured the bands Soror, Sound’n’Rage, Gulag, Armum, Decimator, Roasting and No Sense. On the other hand, unfortunately there isn’t much online about her previous band Erinyes, except for this nice cover version of AC/DC’s all-time classic TNT live back in 2007, but it’s enough to see she has been developing her vocals in great fashion through the years.

It was when Lorena was still a member of Suttura that she and Lou-Indigo met for the first time, when Lou-Indigo’s former band Dehuman was touring in Brazil, as Lorena was playing with Suttura at the same festival as them. After Lorena moved to Belgium together with Lou-Indigo, they did some Cannibal Corpse covers together, and after he showed those to Lorenzo and Leonard they decided to recruit her to be their frontwoman, as they loved her voice and charisma. Speaking of her relocation to Belgium, Lorena mentioned in one of her interviews that she believes there are more possibilities in Belgium to make a musical project live and grow, that music is taken more seriously there if compared with the metal scene in Brazil, her native country. “In Brazil,” she explains, “each band needs a lot of financial investment and a lot of time, and I think there is more openness here in this regard.”

Apart from her work with Triagone, as well as with the previously mentioned bands Suttura and Erinyes, Lorena was a guest vocalist in the song Arterial Red, from the album Crusher of Souls, released in 2024 by Belgian Brutal Death Metal act Storm Upon the Masses. It’s a great album of sheer brutality and rage, by the way, and Lorena’s contribution to the aforementioned song only makes the whole experience of listening to it even more compelling, proving she a beyond versatile vocalist with a wide arsenal of vocal styles, always ready to stun us all in the name of extreme music. I personally can’t wait to see what’s next for Lorena as a metal vocalist, and for Triagone as a band, again proving how badass women can be in heavy music.

Lorena Moraes’ Official Facebook page
Lorena Moraes’ Official Instagram
Triagone’s Official Facebook page
Triagone’s Official Instagram
Triagone’s Official YouTube channel

““Everyone in the band is very talented and committed to making the band evolve. I have a lot of admiration for them. My goal is to continue singing, improve my vocal technique and establish more contact with the audience. I hope that Triagone will record an album soon and that we can show our music to more people.” – Lorena Moraes

Album Review – Infernalivm / Conquering the Most High EP (2024)

Posted on by
1

Get ready for the debut EP by a new and vile horde hailing from France, pointing to a new reign of dark Death Metal terror.

Formed in 2022 as a studio-only project by Melek Dlth Aton (Novae Militiae) on vocals and guirtars, Raph Daethorn (Merrimack, Ritualization) on bass, and Kevin Paradis (Benighted, Svart Crown) on drums, a Paris, France-based Death Metal legion that goes by the stylish name of Infernalivm spawned straight out of the French “Orthodox Satanic Death Metal Movement”, with their background lying the foundations for a Death Metal band heavily rooted in Satanism (in the vein of Deicide, Profanatica, and Incantation), but musically versed in a highly technical and complex strain of ultra-violent, abysmal, and dissonant Death Metal in the vein of Immolation, Nile, and Morbid Angel. Now it’s time for their debut EP, entitled Conquering the Most High, to see the light of day (or the dark of night), an inaugural and demonstrative twenty one-minute, four-track onslaught of inescapable dark Technical/Brutal Death Metal crafted in the sanguinary jaws of the Antichrist.

Kevin kicks off their infernal feast in the best Krisiun style in the title-track Conquering the Most High, hammering his drums like a demonic beast while Melek roars and barks deeply nonstop. In other words, it’s a beyond demolishing welcome card by those French metallers, who also show absolutely zero mercy for our putrid souls and rotten bodies, decimating us all in Temple of a Destroying Sun, with the thunderous bass by Raph adding even more energy to the blast beats by Kevin. Ashes of the Saints offers four minutes of undisputed Black and Death Metal tailored for admirers of the genre, with the harsh roars and sharp, caustic guitar by Melek inviting us all to slam into the circle pit frantically; and the last song of the EP, titled The Maze of Havoc, definitely leaves us eager for more Infernalivm, as its riffs, bass lines and blast beats are a stunning fusion of the music by Cannibal Corpse, Marduk and Krisiun.

In a nutshell, the band’s debut EP is a dissonant, bludgeoning beast seething with all the might and power of the Antichrist, a dark and violent abomination with an immensely evil and antihuman atmosphere and an infernal aura casting massive, ominous shadows across the face of European Death Metal and sending a clear message on the magnitude of things to come, pointing to a new reign of dark Death Metal terror. Furthermore, you can join them in their quest for all things dark and evil by following them on Facebook, and by purchasing their EP from their own BandCamp or from the Sentient Ruin Laboratories’ BandCamp or webstore, and I honestly can’t wait to see what’s next in the career of this promising horde hailing from France.

Best moments of the album: Conquering the Most High and Ashes of the Saints.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Sentient Ruin Laboratories

Track listing
1. Conquering the Most High 5:23
2. Temple of a Destroying Sun 5:39
3. Ashes of the Saints 4:00
4. The Maze of Havoc 6:44

Band members
Melek Dlth Aton – vocals, guitars
Raph Daethorn – bass
Kevin Paradis – drums

Album Review – Limbes / Liernes (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

A languid, raw, sensitive, literate, true and sincere piece of Atmospheric Black Metal offered to us all by a multi-talented musician hailing from France.

Mastering by Jack Shirley at The Atomic Garden Recording Studios, and showcasing a stylish artworks by Dehn Sora, the obscure Liernes, by Paris, France-based Atmospheric Black Metal one-man project Limbes, is the logical continuation of the previous album Écluse, from 2021, a languid, raw, sensitive, literate, true and sincere piece of Black Metal. However, it differs from the latter by a more accessible approach than in the past. Thus, long and atmospheric tracks mingle with the usual torrents of hypersensitivity by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Guillaume Galaup, all embraced by the Stygian poetry by Marie “Ciguë” Husson, turning the album into a must-listen for fans of Wolves In The Throne Room, Ultha, and Paramnesia.

Pied de Pilori, or “pillory foot”, sounds absolutely atmospheric from the very first notes, with Guillaume building a dense and enfolding ambience that will puts us all in a trace, exploding halfway through it into sheer violence and obscurity, with his harsh vociferations and visceral guitars piercing our souls and minds. Les Côtes à l’Unisson, or “coasts in unison”, also begins in a serene and gentle manner, this time sounding even more atmospheric than the opening track with Guillaume focusing on more delicate sounds like the background synths without forgetting to add heaviness to the music through his beats and guitars; whereas featuring guest vocals by Russian artist Kariti, Buffet Frigide is a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal made in France, with the sound of all instruments by Guillaume building the perfect stage for Kariti to shine with her hypnotizing vocals, alternating between pure ethereal moments and more vicious sounds where Guillaume darkly roars together with Kariti, instantly connecting with the pulverizing Aulnes & Poussières, or “alders and dust”, where once again our lone wolf hammers all his instruments in the name of dark and caustic metal music, always adding his share of insanity to it through his anguished gnarls, ending in sheer melancholy.

The music by Limbes is definitely not an easy listen for the average music fan, demanding time and focus to absorb all the elements crafted by Guillaume during each one of the lengthy songs from the album, but once it hits you, then you’ll have an amazing experience listening to the album in its entirety. Furthermore, you can get more details about Guillaume and his Limbes by visiting the project’s Facebook and Instagram, stream more of his music on Spotify, and buy the excellent Liernes from his own BandCamp page, from the Frozen Records website, or by clicking HERE. Guillaume was truly inspired when composing his new album under his Limbes project, and I highly recommend you listen to the album to the smallest detail to capture all the passion, agony, pain and darkness overflowing from each song, therefore helping place Limbes as one of the must-see names of the modern extreme music scene.

Best moments of the album: Pied de Pilori and Buffet Frigide.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Frozen Records

Track listing
1. Pied de Pilori 11:36
2. Les Côtes à l’Unisson 6:54
3. Buffet Frigide 12:13
4. Aulnes & Poussières 10:49

Band members
Guillaume Galaup – vocals, all instruments

Guest musician
Kariti – vocals on “Buffet Frigide”

Album Review – Benighted / Ekbom (2024)

Posted on by
1

Let’s dive into the auditory abyss with this Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore entity armed with their newborn beast, inspired by the rare neurological disorder known as “Ekbom syndrome.”

Formed in 1998 in the French city of Saint-Étienne with roots deeply entrenched in the macabre realms of Extreme Metal, the vicious Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore entity Benighted has evolved from a side-project into a malevolent force, captivating fans worldwide with their skull-shattering sound and thematically explorative pieces. Now in 2024 the band formed of Julien Turchan on vocals, Emmanuel Dalle on the guitars, Pierre Arnoux on bass, and Kevin Paradis on drums invites us to dive into the auditory abyss with Ekbom, their latest offering inspired by the rare neurological disorder known as “Ekbom syndrome.” Recorded, engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Kristian Kohlmannslehner at Kohlekeller Studios, and displaying a Stygian artwork by Róbert Borbás of Grindesign, Ekbom is a nightmarish album that drags listeners through the darkest recesses of the human psyche, a grotesque journey where the ferocious music mirrors the unsettling sensations of delusional parasitosis.

Benighted are definitely a band that knows how to craft wicked, phantasmagorical intros, like Prodrome, inviting us all to a world of gore and darkness in Scars, a pulverizing feast of Grindcore tailored for admirers of the genre where Julien and Kevin will hammer your heads ruthlessly with their respective devilish roars and blast beats, followed by Morgue, presenting a demented sound for a song with a cadaverous name, with Emmanuel slashing his stringed axe like there’s no tomorrow and, therefore, making the atmosphere even heavier and more disturbing. Le Vice des Entrailles, or “the vice of entrails” from French, is another hurricane of Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore by the quartet, with Julien’s vile gnarls cutting our skin deep supported by the always demolishing drums by Kevin. Then featuring guest vocals by Oliver Rae Aleron of Archspire, Nothing Left to Fear is highly recommended for some brutal slamming, with the unparalleled vocals by Oliver matching perfectly with the band’s bestial sounds; followed by the evil title-track Ekbom, bringing forward their trademark violence while still sounding very groovy, technical and detailed.

Metastasis, the second single released by Benighted, will pulverize your cranial skull, as Julien couldn’t have sounded more demonic than this accompanied by the caustic riffs by Emmanuel, and the quartet shows no mercy at all for our souls and keep delivering the most demented form of Grindcore in A Reason for Treason, with the beats and fills by Kevin sounding and feeling absolutely brutal. Guest vocalist Xavier Chevalier of Blockheads lends his roars in Fame of the Grotesque, perhaps the most infernal of all songs where the entire band is on fire, especially Kevin with his stone crushing drums; whereas Scapegoat is another two-minute explosion of sheer dementia and violence by the quartet where Julien once again roars manically while Emmanuel keeps firing his sulfurous riffs and solos. The second to last attack by those Grindcore beasts comes in the form of Flesh Against Flesh, once again inviting us all to slam into the pit like there’s no tomorrow; whereas lastly we’re treated to Mother Earth, Mother Whore, a charming name for a Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore assault, with Julien’s roars walking hand in hand with the chaotic sounds blasted by his bandmates.

Can you feel it crawling under your skin? If your answer is yes, you can grab a copy of Ekbom, available for a full streaming on YouTube and on Spotify, from the band’s own BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE or HERE. Also, don’t forget to check what the band’s is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their insane tour dates. Ekbom is undoubtedly a chilling sonic landscape that will linger in your consciousness long after the last brutal note thanks to a band that knows how to sound extreme yet melodic and captivating at the same time, penetrating deep inside our skin like parasites of brutality and gore in the best way possible, of course.

Best moments of the album: Scars, Le Vice des Entrailles, Metastasis and Fame of the Grotesque.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Prodrome 1:18
2. Scars 3:14
3. Morgue 3:22
4. Le Vice des Entrailles 3:05
5. Nothing Left to Fear 2:43
6. Ekbom 3:42
7. Metastasis 3:32
8. A Reason for Treason 3:17
9. Fame of the Grotesque 2:19
10. Scapegoat 2:22
11. Flesh Against Flesh 3:17
12. Mother Earth, Mother Whore 4:28

Band members
Julien Turchan – vocals
Emmanuel Dalle – guitars
Pierre Arnoux – bass
Kevin Paradis – drums

Guest musicians
Oliver Rae Aleron – vocals on “Nothing Left to Fear”
Xavier Chevalier – vocals on “Fame of the Grotesque”

Album Review – Anthropovore / Parthénogenèse (2024)

Posted on by
Reply

This French two-headed Black Metal beast returns with its sophomore album, sounding utterly experimental, dissonant and austere from start to finish.

Forged in the fires of Paris, France inspired by old school titans the likes of Darkthrone and Marduk, among others, with the goal to return to the origins of a primary, anxiety-inducing, angry and hateful Black Metal, the two-headed beast known as Anthropovore is back from the underworld with their sophomore offering, beautifully titled Parth​é​nogen​è​se, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Boogeyman. The album title is French for “parthenogenesis”, or “virgin birth”, a form of reproduction in which an egg can develop into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm, and that weird concept is translated into the most experimental, dissonant and austere music you can think of thanks to the amazing job done by the band’s duo comprised of Simon Perrin (Demande à la Poussière, Muertissima, MUD, WeedBringer) on vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drone and machine sounds, and Stéphane Prados (Muertissima) on lead guitars and harsh screams, supported by the more-than-special guest vocals by Adsagsona (aka Adèle Adsa, the talented frontwoman of French Black Metal horde Hule).

Notre père, or “our father”, starts with a narration in French before their dirty riffs and low-tuned bass fill out every single space in the air, with Simon and Stéphane making an amazing duet with their clean vocals and demonic roars, flowing in a disturbing and devilish way until the very last second. Their wicked experimentations go on in Transmigre-moi (“transmigrate to me”), another sulfurous fusion of traditional Black Metal with Atmospheric and Experimental Black Metal, sounding dissonant and furious, with the mechanized sounds generated by Simon being infernal; whereas a demented start evolves into a feast of blackened, caustic sounds in Castigo, a Portuguese/Spanish word that means “punishment”, where Simon and Stéphane deliver sheer aggressiveness through their axes while also blasting sick vociferations in the name of darkness. And the title-track Parthénogenèse offers more of their idiosyncratic, devilish sounds where the guitars and bass feel utterly demonic while the duo keeps blasting endless obscurity through their visceral growls, followed by Souffrir, or “to suffer”, another explosion of Experimental Black Metal by the duo with all background noises and sounds adding an extra touch of insanity to the overall result.

They keep hammering our cranial skulls and decimating our damned souls in Mal dedans (“bad inside”), again showcasing their characteristic harsh roars, machine-like drums, and a reverberating sense of despair; then investing in a more brutal and thunderous sound, they will smash us all in Ternir, or “to tarnish”, offering their most demonic vocals, sounding almost like the screeches of an evil goblin, while the instrumental pieces generate a darkly disturbing atmosphere. Déconstruit (“deconstructed”) keeps the album at an insane level of animosity and rage by blending elements from Industrial Metal with their core Black Metal essence, while rumbling bass lines and massive beats set the tone in the heavy-as-hell Mangez-moi, or “eat me”, the duo’s second to last spawn of evil in the album, where they once again burst their lungs screaming like demonic creatures. Finally, Anthropovore kill whoever is still alive with the violent and grim Better Off Alive, ending the album on a high note to the sound of their inhumane harsh roars, caustic riffs and mechanized background sounds.

Such dissonant, devilish album is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can add it to your demonic collection by purchasing it directly from the band’s own BandCamp page or from the France Black Death Grind webstore, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more of their wicked music. Parth​é​nogen​è​se exhales pure evil, hatred and darkness just the way we like it in Black Metal, strengthening the band’s name in the scene and inspiring them to keep blasting sheer obscurity for many years to come, always trying new experimentations while staying true to their roots, something really hard to do nowadays but that those French metallers are learning how to master, I might say.

Best moments of the album: Transmigre-moi, Parthénogenèse and Ternir.

Worst moments of the album: Souffrir.

Released in 2024 France Black Death Grind

Track listing
1. Notre père 8:12
2. Transmigre-Moi 5:59
3. Castigo 5:50
4. Parthénogenèse 9:06
5. Souffrir 5:22
6. Mal dedans 9:25
7. Ternir 5:09
8. Déconstruit 5:35
9. Mangez-Moi 4:48
10. Better Off Alive 5:32

Band members
Simon Perrin – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drone and machine sounds
Stéphane Prados – lead guitars, harsh screams

Guest musician
Adsagsona – additional vocals

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

Posted on by
1

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 – Necrowretch / Swords of Dajjal (2024)

Posted on by
1

Branded with the mark of the beast, this French Blackened Death Metal horde returns blacker than ever with a magnificent opus dedicated to the Islamic Antichrist.

Formed in 2008 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Vlad in Valence, a city in southeast France in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with the revival of old school Death Metal while always branded with the mark of the beast, Blackened Death Metal entity Necrowretch has just opened the most ambitious chapter of their career with Swords Of Dajjal, their three-years-in-the-making fifth album. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Francis Caste at Studio Sainte Marthe, Swords of Dajjal isn’t just named after the Islamic Antichrist, but a statement of the devotion to Satan by the aforementioned Vlad on vocals and guitars alongside guitarist and bassist W. Cadaver, and drummer N. Destroyer, being highly recommended for fans of Possessed, Dark Angel, Dissection, Necrophobic, and Merciless, or to anyone who sold their whole souls to the devil just like this French horde. Represented on the cover of the album (masterfully brought into being by Stefan Thanneur, also known as Manifeste) with his double-edged sword and bathed in the same kind of reddish and orangey mesmerizing lights one can experience when the sun sets on wind-beaten deserts, all eight songs on the album are prophecies, past and future, where Dajjal plays the leading role.

The Stygian guitars by Vlad and W. Cadaver ignite the opening tune Ksar Al-Kufar (describing a dark and forbidden land characterized by disbelief and ominous imagery), offering us all pure evil in the form of Blackened Death Metal; whereas N. Destroyer hammers his drums in the name of absolute darkness in The Fifth Door, living up to the legacy of the genre and being tailored for admirers of Behemoth, Belphegor and Septicflesh, while Vlad vociferates rabidly in a pure Black Metal style. Then obscure riffs and menacing vocal lines set the tone in Dii Mauri (or the “Mauran gods” mentioned in Latin inscriptions of the third century in North Africa), a phantasmagorical creation by Necrowretch that should sound insane live, summoning all creatures of the netherworld to their feast of blackened music. And the title-track Swords of Dajjal is a lecture in extreme music, blasphemy and hatred, with the harsh roars by Vlad walking hand in hand with the strident, piercing riffage by W. Cadaver while N. Destroyer keeps demolishing his drum set with endless dexterity and anger.

It’s time to bang your heads nonstop to the visceral sounds blasted by Necrowretch in Numidian Knowledge, another song where their passion for the darkest side of music becomes even stronger, whereas speeding things up and sounding more venomous than ever we have Vae Victis, which is Latin for “woe to the vanquished”, where Vlad is inhumane on vocals, barking and roaring like a beast from the crypts of Hades in a must-listen for admirers of Blackened Death Metal. The second to last burst of sulfur by the band is offered to our ears in Daeva (a supernatural entity of disagreeable nature, an evil spirit, or demon in Zoroastrianism), a more melodic composition, or an instrumental interlude that’s not bad but doesn’t add much to the album, flowing into the cryptic closing tune Total Obliteration, bringing forward six minutes of classy, energetic and grim Black and Death Metal that will haunt your damned souls for all eternity, all spearheaded by the visceral screams by Vlad supported by the always sharp riffs by W. Cadaver.

Armed with the biggest, most complex and intense album of their career, Necrowretch are about to yield their sword of destruction and exterminate everything in sight. The result is, according to Vlad, “our most black metal record, with splashes of death metal here and there. Whereas on the previous album all tempos were pushed to the extreme, there’s far more variety here to be found. It also gave us free reins to reach a more mystical, Biblical if you will vibe” fed by his experience living in Turkey in the late 2010’s. “We choose to focus on the Dajjal character, basically the antichrist in the Muslim religion. The Coran says that he’ll appear as a false prophet only to bring doom to this world, with an army of demons coming from the east.” Hence, if you’re also willing to sell your soul to the devil alongside the guys from Necrowretch, you can stream Swords of Dajjal in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, or by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram. Necrowretch are sounding blacker and more sulfurous than ever, bringing doom to our already decaying world just like Dajjal with their new album, and I’m sure you’ll have a blast listening to such masterpiece of darkness.

Best moments of the album: The Fifth Door, Swords of Dajjal, Vae Victis and Total Obliteration.

Worst moments of the album: Daeva.

Released in 2024 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Ksar Al-Kufar 4:21
2. The Fifth Door 5:29
3. Dii Mauri 5:06
4. Swords of Dajjal 4:55
5. Numidian Knowledge 4:11
6. Vae Victis 4:18
7. Daeva 2:49
8. Total Obliteration 6:13

Band members
Vlad – vocals, guitars
W. Cadaver – lead guitars, bass
N. Destroyer – drums

Guest musician
R. Cadaver – bass (live)