Progressive metal is a style that remains quite confidential in France and it is through English language sites that I discovered 'Wyvern' and their first album 'Radiations' which was released at the end of March 2022. Having signed with the 'Wormholedeath' label for international distribution, these young French people deliver a very promising first opus which, icing on the cake, is accompanied by several videos which have been presented as they arise, with each single release, which makes a complete project combining music and video.
So, once is not custom, I will tell you about the videos that the group posted on you tube during the last months and which were directed by 'Nicolas Fournier'. First of all, in 2019, their first music video 'Moonlight' which already showed all this visual research supported by powerful instrumentation on a mid-tempo conveying a disturbing atmospheric ambiance and which was integrated into a first single 'Moonlight & Neoworld'. In 2021, In 2021, it was the turn of 'Invisible' to see the light of day and which showed the rather wide range of influences coming from the tenors of rock and progressive metal, the instrumental parts being well developed around the sung sections, with special mention for the magnificent final guitar solo. We arrive at the album 'Radiations' which contains seven compositions of which four are the subject of a series of clips telling the story of a man who lived a prosperous life who was spared by the mysterious radiations and terrifying things that have invaded this well damaged world. Having no memory of his past, he sets off on a journey to find answers about himself and this world. We are therefore taken into this progressive saga with, first of all, 'Amnesia' which is the episode of this total loss of memory in the form of a cartoon and which delivers a heavy composition remarkably alternating intensities with very beautiful vocal arrangements on a catchy melody. The second episode 'Black Medicine' tells the temptation to take a healing substance to get out of this amnesia and we are taken in a captivating and catchy progressive with a construction presenting an inventive rhythm section alternating different tempos which brings a succession of different atmospheres. Then comes 'The Race' which illustrates the escape of man to find refuge somewhere while some survivors were trying to capture him, and which musically ends with a rhythmic crescendo which very well this marathon to escape the aggressors. In the album, follows 'Acceptance' which is a short acoustic comma which separates 'The Race' from 'Fading Fear' which is the last chapter telling the reconnection with the world before through a loved one in the past just before a fatal outcome and which offers us a much more optimistic atmosphere with a lighter melody and highlighting instrumental parts and a remarkable final guitar solo. The two other compositions also show a talent for sought-after progressiveness with always this immediate hook: the first title 'Radiations' is a long development which takes off slowly and which gradually gains power to explode in an energetic section which then alternates with quieter parts including a very beautiful guitar solo in the second half, the powerful finale giving off an imposing energy on a slow tempo. As for the last title 'The Traveler', it is designed on a similar pattern with an atmospheric introduction which is slowly growing and which continues with a succession of tensions releasing an extreme power with some furious growls, and relaxations which offer calm passages accompanied by a melodious acoustic guitar.
In summary, the French of 'Wyvern' delivers us a very mature album which goes beyond a simple series of compositions and which shows all the talent of this formation which combines progressive with a story told in the With the help of magnificent music videos and 'Radiations' should satisfy a progressive metal audience that loves striking contrasts that can recall the major bands of this style such as 'Leprous', 'Haken' or 'Pain Of Salvation'... | |
