Bon appétit!: 8 French bands you need to know
Sure, you may have rehearsed your dance moves for Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” but France is not only about making worldwide nü-disco hits (or delicious bread). It can also rock pretty hard, oh oui. Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! have proven the French can bring the fun–and the mosh, too–and are now touring America among the likes of A Day To Remember and Of Mice & Men, after releasing two albums on Fearless Records. But the easycore quintet aren’t the only talented alternative band from the country of love that just might invade your speakers soon, as you’ll find out in this 100-percent French feature, which is as tasty as a croissant.
HQ: Paris, France
LATEST RELEASE: Will, Love, Life (Victory)
THE STORY SO FAR: Paris is the city of fine cuisine, romance and brutal metal outfit As They Burn. Formed in 2007, the now six-piece released an EP and a debut full-length, Aeon’s War, which got them to play renowned extreme French festival Hellfest last year. The band caught the eye of Victory Records, who offered them a deal to release their sophomore record Will, Love, Life earlier this year. The album was recorded with metal’s super-producer Jason Suecof (August Burns Red, Motionless In White).
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ‘EM: As They Burn play an abrasive yet pure blend of deathcore and metalcore. The refined brutality of their songs have gained them critical acclaim from the European metal scene. Their breakdowns are accompanied by subtle and melodic backing guitar tones to create original atmospheres, while frontman Kevin Trevor goes from death growls to clean singing. As if it wasn’t enough to make you mosh, labelmate and Emmure vocalist Frankie Palmeri also contributed to the groovy, nü-metal single “F.R.E.A.K.S.”
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Whitechapel // Meshuggah // Emmure
LISTEN TO: “Medicine 2.0”
HQ: Lyon, France
LATEST RELEASE: Des Fragments D’Eux-Mêmes (Bakery Outlet)
THE STORY SO FAR: In the tradition of the French underground D.I.Y. scene, indie-rock outfit Bâton Rouge are not really fond of press pictures, music videos or social networking. They’re not on Facebook or Twitter, and probably don’t know–or care–about AP. It’s easily understandable looking at the four members’ background: The band comes from Lyon, France’s third biggest city, which gave us arguably Europe’s best screamo band, Daïtro (yes, that band which declined a U.S. tour offered by Thursday). Four of Daïtro’s five members now play in Bâton Rouge, who started in 2010 and have released a short full-length, Des Fragments D’Eux-Mêmes, quickly followed by the Contrepied, Contretemps/Amer 7”.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ‘EM: Bâton Rouge’s songs are nothing like their former outfit’s visceral screamo, but they do have a few similarities. Both bands stick up to their native tongue, whereas most newer French bands turn to English for convenience or marketing reasons. While not screamed, Bâton Rouge’s half-sung, half-shouted and delightfully out-of-tune vocals do have their share of emotion, often hinting at emo-tinged punk melancholy. The noisy guitars throughout Fragments D’Eux-Mêmes are more grooving post-punk, combined with beautiful arpeggios and setbacks, making it a compelling record and one of the best French releases of the last few years. Fresh off tours of the U.K. and Russia, the band plans to enter the studio in November to record their second LP.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Drive Like Jehu // Sonic Youth // Tubers
LISTEN TO: “Que Des Fils”
HQ: Paris, France
LATEST RELEASE: Breathe In Life (Sumerian)
THE STORY SO FAR: Few people in the punk/metal French scene don’t know about Betraying The Martyrs. Loved as much as they’re hated, the metal act have been talked about since 2008 and their birth out of the ashes of different Parisian br00tal/scene bands. Quickly adopting popular elements of American deathcore and Christiancore’s (imagery, sound, faith-based lyrics), the band created some buzz with their first EP, The Hurt, The Divine, The Light, which led their touring heavily in Europe, but also to some highly-mocked TV appearances on several programs about metal. Several lineup changes, including the recruitment of British frontman Aaron Matts, paved a new way for Bretraying The Martyrs. They signed with Sumerian Records and released their debut album Breathe In Life. They are currently putting the final touches on its follow-up, due later this year.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: BTM’s Facebook description reads, “Positive metal from the city of love. The band have made a point of delivering a hopeful message through their heavy mixture of death and metalcore. “We’re not here to evangelize; we just want to share our vision of life, based on our faith,” explains bass player Valentin Hauser. Signing to Sumerian opened the French band to a new audience, giving them the opportunity to tour the U.S. with bands like Suicide Silence and Unearth and play the Mayhem Festival among the likes of Slipknot, Slayer and Motörhead. If slightly progressive, chuggy breakdowns, low growls and clean choruses are your thing, you should probably look toward the Eiffel Tower.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Born Of Osiris // Chelsea Grin // The Devil Wears Prada
LISTEN TO: “Man Made Disaster”
HQ: Laval, France
LATEST RELEASE: You, Me And The Violence (Deathwish Inc)
THE STORY SO FAR: If Birds In Row had to be summed up in one word, it would probably be “community.” The furious hardcore three-piece—formed in 2009, one week after the demise of two of its members’ previous band—is not a sum of individuals, but an entity of its own. The faces of the three members are always cropped out of promo pictures and music videos, and they only refer to themselves by the letters B, D and T. The point? Even after earning the admiration of the underground French scene with a strict D.I.Y. mentality (all their merch used to be “pay-what-you-want”-based) and two impressive EPs, Birds In Row wanted listeners to pay attention to their “songs, ideas and points of view” rather than their pretty faces.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: This led people to focus on the intensity of their anthemic and socially conscious songs, including the man who made them start music in the first place. “One day, we saw a picture of Jacob Bannon of Converge wearing one of our shirts during a show,” recalls singer/guitarist B. “We printed this shirt in my garage. Seeing one of our cult bands’ singer wearing it got us kind of crazy.” Bannon quickly signed the French trio, who had already toured three continents without a single album out, to Deathwish Inc. Records, and released the band’s first full-length You, Me & The Violence last year. After touring the US with the likes of Converge and Loma Prieta and counting members of La Dispute and Touché Amoré as fans, Birds In Row spent the first half of 2013 back in Europe where they will open for Coliseum on tour this summer.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Converge // Loma Prieta // Code Orange Kids
LISTEN TO: “Police & Thieves”
HQ: Paris, France
LATEST RELEASE: The Unexpected Way Of Things (Back To The Well)
THE STORY SO FAR: America has always been on the mind of the five members of Paris-area alternative outfit Branson Hollis. “Since we were kids, we’ve always been listening to hundreds of American bands who have been very influential for us,” says vocalist/guitarist Nicolas Rohart. “American music made us do what we’re doing today, so conquering the American audience is an obvious goal.” It’s no surprise then that the French band, who claim Finch, Deftones and the Dillinger Escape Plan as influences, turned to a pair of American producers (including Matt Goldman, whose past clients include Underoath, The Chariot or Copeland) to record their debut full-length The Unexpected Way Of Things, which came out this May.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: The massive, threefold-vocal post-hardcore sound of most songs on Unexpected, combined with progressive, atmospheric and electro-infused compositions, make Branson Hollis one of France’s best export chances. Combining high-pitched vocals à la Anthony Green and raw screams reminiscent of Thrice or Norma Jean (whose frontman Cory Brandan make an appearance on “Maunder’s Tale”), the young five-piece could very well have fit on a Taste Of Chaos lineup a few years ago. Having opened for Devil Sold His Soul, Moving Mountains and La Dispute, all they want is to expand their touring schedule. “We gave up everything to focus on our music”, states Rohart. “Our only goal is to write and tour as much as we can. This is what we need.”
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Bring Me The Horizon // Thrice // Underoath
LISTEN TO: “Maunder’s Tale”
HQ: Nice, France
LATEST RELEASE: Ain’t No Princess (Guerilla)
THE STORY SO FAR: Even though they’re still in their 20s, the members of easycore act Can’t Bear This Party could easily be seen as veterans in their native southeastern France’s punk scene. After spending their youth putting on and playing shows in the hot basements of Nice, the six friends founded Can’t Bear This Party, based on their love for bands like New Found Glory, Set Your Goals and Motion City Soundtrack–and their out-of-place feeling at many hometown parties. Which does not mean they take themselves too seriously, as fans discovered with the band’s first full-length, the acclaimed Ain’t No Princess.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: Not only do Can’t Bear This Party mix pop-punk and hardcore in the fashion of their fellow Frenchmen Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, but they also bring their own elements to the already well-iced easycore cake: 8-bit keyboard, glockenspiel and brass instruments are an integral part of the band’s sound. “Putting some glockenspiel or a music box over a mosh part was a fantasy, to be honest,” laughs guitarist Quentin, also known as “Sushi.” “Ideas gush when we’re writing, and we try to make the listener have as much fun as we do in the studio.” The cheerful outfit are about to record their second full-length and will tour Asia and Russia this winter, before trying to reach the States in 2014.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! // Four Year Strong // Set Your Goals
LISTEN TO: “So Quarrellsome”
HQ: Rennes, France
LATEST RELEASE: Mermonte (Father Figure)
THE STORY SO FAR: Everything went fast for Mermonte (literally Searise). The indie-pop band was formed in 2010 by multi-instrumentalist mastermind Ghislain Fracapane, who had previously spent time in several bands from Rennes, a provincial town and capital of northwestern region Britanny, famous for its crepes and rainy weather. He recorded Mermonte with friends and then released a few songs online, soon catching the attention of French indie connoisseurs. Blogs and magazines showed them some early love, which enabled Mermonte to play their first shows in front of very enthusiastic and packed crowds instead of empty rooms, like newborn outfits usually do. Mind-blowing performances and intense word-of-mouth will take them to French festival Les Vieilles Charrues this summer, headlined by monstrous acts like Neil Young, Elton John and Santana. The outfit also just released a new 7-inch titled Fanny Giroud.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: Mermonte play an exciting and wonderfully fine-structured pop, combining elements of indie, jazz, math-rock and post-rock. Their daydream songs are centered on Fracapane’s intimate guitar work, but turn into a grandiose orchestra with the addition of many different instruments, from playful glockenspiel to foot-stomping drums. But it’s Mermonte’s live incarnation that really sets them apart. No less than 10 musicians on stage (including two drummers) create time-suspending sets, as efficient in warm acoustic moments as they are when they turn into vibrant tornadoes of good vibes, with very sparse singing. “I wanted the vocals to be more of an instrument than anything else,” explains Fracapane. “They’re basically just ‘whoa-oh’s’ and have no real meaning, because I wanted them to serve the melody.” If a summer trip to France’s beaches is too expensive for you, try Mermonte’s music. It might just feel the same.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Sigur Rós // Sufjan Stevens // Tortoise
LISTEN TO: “Monte”
HQ: Lyon, France
LATEST RELEASE: Colors (Adagio830)
THE STORY SO FAR: Saying Sport are a bit all over the place may be an understatement: They make Latterman-like punk with a twinkly Midwestern emo touch, have all their songs named after Olympic Games editions, made custom flying discs as tour merch items and assure their band moniker is a reference to Phil Collins. The five-piece band comes from Lyon, in east-central France. After releasing their debut album Colors last year and playing the French date of the Latterman reunion tour in Paris (“our best memory as a band,” says singer/guitarist Flo). Sport just recorded a full-length and will play their first dates overseas next fall during a tour that will hit northeast America, including both the U.S. and Canada.
WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW ’EM: Because they might be Johnny Marr’s new favorite band. On a Reddit chat a few months ago, the Smiths’ legendary guitarist was asked to pick his “best new band.” To which he replied “I don't know if there is such a thing as ‘best’ in music. Sport maybe.” No one really knows what Marr actually meant (probably that rankings should be left to athletes) and the chance he was actually referring to the small underground French band is minuscule at best, but that was enough for a horde of Smiths fans to go check out Sport on Facebook. We’re not sure if a lot of them enjoyed their bright and poppy indie-punk sound, but if you like to spend your summer with Algernon Cadwallader or CSTVT in your earphones, you definitely will.
YOU LIKE? YOU’LL LIKE: Grown Ups // Latterman // Snowing
LISTEN TO: “Barcelona, 1992”
