CD Info

2012
Self Released / France

12 Tracks

French / English Lyrics

Everyone has their favorite style of music. Even here at the SC Zine, we all have styles that are favored by one or more. . . but not by everyone. In fact, it’s reported, I won’t reveal a name here to protect the less than innocent, that at least one of our fine writers favors "boy bands". Oh, the sin of it all. Being the sensitive, New Age kind of guy that I am, I’ll keep that identity a secret. However, for several of us, it’s the Symphonic, Operatic Gothic that hits the sweet spot most consistently. Of course, there are other components that can impact that perspective, positively or negatively, so even that broad stroke can be impacted by additional variables. For me, things like lyrics, especially those that reflect a darker interpretation of reality, can make the sound all the more enjoyable. Another factor that can weigh positively on my evaluation is the use of any language other than English. With the possible exception of Dutch, I generally react positively to the use of those languages, especially when they are the native language of the band doing the music. In the case of Elyose, both those requirements are met, along with, of course, the strong symphonic, operatic base line sound. Elyose is French, they’re listed as being from Paris, Île-de-France but they appear to be working most of Western Europe in terms of live performances. And a strong portion of the lyrical work is done in some sensuous French, sung by a seriously sensuous classical French vocalist, one Justine Daaé.

The music is not traditional Gothic, although there are certainly elements. We get what some might call a more contemporary interpretation of the sound, some more dance oriented electronics, some contemporary sounds created through a variety of methods. Some actually refer to it as electro rock, but a dark electro rock, and with that killer vocal. You might see some industrial in there if you listen closely; it’s just a French interpretation of that art form, somewhat different than the German, much as I love KMFDM and the rest who brought that style to our attention some time ago. But no matter how you classify the style, no matter how you interpret the background music, there’s still that vocal that is unique and terribly incapable of simple classification, other than by using the term devastating.

Elyose dates back to the 2009 timeframe, they originally put together an EP which was well received then hit the road for some well received live gigs. Eventually, they returned to the studio to produce the work under review here. I don’t have a lot of inside information on the band, there was no response to requests for information, you get that from the French sometimes, pity, this is some really interesting material and, being as how my French is limited to nonexistent, I can’t provide the level of insight I’d like to with this work. Fortunately, I got some inside help finding lyrics and some of them are in English so I can comment there. As for the rest, well, I’ll have to guess, there’s not a lot out there on the band as of this writing. You usually get more response from the new bands, even when they’re this good. Of course, when you’re chosen to back up Therion on a major European tour, as Elyose has been, you might just be too busy for anything else. Oh well.

So to get to the music, which, I believe, is the purpose here, we begin with the typical short intro before getting to the meat of the subject. And that subject begins with Le Liberature:

Après des siècles d'oppression, de déni de tout,
Il s'est levé, s'est donné, offert aux siens, supplicié,
Il a provoqué l'insensé.

And, it never sounded better, if this doesn’t get you up on your feet, call the mortuary, you’re dead. Notice the electro pop stuff thrown in, it’s a different direction, but does nothing to detract from the metal, in fact, it could be argued that it enhances that direction into a more contemporary interpretation of the sound.

The second track, L’orientale, goes in a much more Gothic direction. It begins with a seashore sound, followed by a Gothic bell, and moving towards a symphonic that drives us towards the guitars. A much more classical interpretation of the Gothic metal sound and a vocal that haunts from beyond time. The lady can make some music, and the chugging guitar behind her makes sure that sound has a background to enhance the Gothic direction. Again, the message is in French, and lord, it sounds so good:

L'Orient, Mystérieux
Senteurs épicées, touffeurs ambrées
Croise son regard, de soie, dévoilé
Fille du Sultan pacha de Ramadiyah
Lui sur la route de la soie

There are several English language tracks, they are equally as good musically but, and I guess it’s just me, the lyrics just seem to sound better in French. Mirry Dancers is one of them, it provides a bit more metal than the standard fare, I guess to celebrate that English direction. But, the message is interesting, and delivered over a more standardized metal background. We get some interesting flow here, some background vocal sounds, some spoken, some whispered, the effect being a magical interpretation of the message, which talks to the insanity of life, the hopelessness of relations and a link to powers beyond our ability to comprehend. It’s a little different track towards the Gothic, one that seems to illustrate the genius of the lyrical work of this interesting musical troop. Lyrically, we hear:

Think, is it more than just a dream / Unreal, Artificial, Illusory
The remembrance of instinctive acts / Ancient
Doomed / Do you believe in destiny/fate
Divine domination / Divine preeminence
Divine supremacy / Surrender

One of the more interesting tracks for me is Wine From the Sick. Again, the lyrics are in English, but this one features a male death metal vocal, not a typical direction for this music. Again, the music is hauntingly beautiful, wonderfully produced and providing background sounds other bands can only dream of. But here, we get a response to that dark, glorious female vocal, and it’s pretty good. Not everyone likes this direction as much as I do, but here, it just works perfectly, especially given the nature of the interaction. The male vocal responds to a ghostly introduction saying:

Come, penetrate this fortress of endless agony and live
Into this non existing reality / Their time has come...

To which our lady responds:

See the cryptic messages / Carved into the ruins of abandonned chambers
Whose doors have been banging enigmatically / Since they all… disappeared

Very nice, and it gives a glimpse into what the French lyrics go into, I mean, they can only be better, right.

Overload gives us another song in English, and it takes us back to that electro sound. It provides several musical directions, some lovely vocals, some strong electro pop oriented stuff, but with that underlying Gothic music that sounds best coming from locations like the Church in Denver, three stories down in the Catacombs of an old Gothic structure. And don’t think I don’t have firsthand experience.

Je Tempeste and Les Artisans Du Chaos take us back to the French lyrics, and to the sound that more closely approximates the CD in general. There are metal components in both; there are a variety of sounds, interesting in many ways. But, it’s the vocal that drives the music, over a variety of background sounds and directions. I know there are a lot of strong vocals in female fronted metal, but few go beyond this. And, when it’s done in French, it just seems so much better, I think you’ll come to the same conclusion. Therion sure did.

10 / 10

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