When it comes to heavy metal, France is not necessarily the first nation to stand out, but there are nevertheless a few bands that pull their weight and in this group is 'Existance' who have made a name for themselves internationally as they will be participating in the 2022 edition of the 'Helfest' and they regularly open for renowned bands like 'Primal Fear' and 'Riot V'. Their last album 'Breaking the Rock' already dates back to 2016 and their new studio recording 'Wolf Attack' is now available since late October 2021. This latest baby offers us 11 compositions in a classic but extremely efficient heavy metal in the great tradition of the 70s/80s. We are thus embarked in devastating guitar riffs and this from the start with a devastating 'Highgate Vampire' (see video above) then the energetic tracks follow in the same atmosphere, 'Julian Izard' having all the vocal assets to compete with the greatest of the genre and 'Antoine Poireau' throwing us some anthology solos The rhythm section, composed of 'Julien Robillard' on bass and 'Gerry Carbonelle' on drums, is not to be outdone, ensuring a hellish pace, as for example in the second part of 'Snoper Alley' or in the Dantesque 'Preacher of Insanity'. Other more moderate but equally powerful compositions bring variety to the whole: we can mention 'Rock 'N Roll', 'Jenny's Dream', 'You Gotta Rock It' or the title track (see the video here). The power ballad is not forgotten with 'Tears Of Fire', which brings a more relaxing moment after all that energy and has a memorable chorus. Also noteworthy is the cover of 'Gwendoline' by the band 'H-Bomb' at the end of the album, which pays tribute to the father of 'Julian Izzard', who passed away in 2018, and which takes us back not far from 40 years, to the time of a certain hard-rock band, 'Trust', which succeeded in bringing this style on the fringes of French song to the public at large.
In summary, even if the French of Existance' are not going to revolutionize the heavy metal, this last album is remarkable and offers us authentic and particularly effective compositions making us go back to the golden age of this style what should undoubtedly please a public which liked this period but also to the youngest which want to discover this style which is from now on part of the history of the rock music, and that, for a French formation, it is even more appreciable to specify it... | |
