I was fortunate enough to grow up at the tail end of metal’s formative years, so I remember when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica were at their apex and some of the most powerful forces in music. Having taken that decades-long adventure also means I’ve heard sounds and styles come, change, and sometimes go, as well as the genre getting reborn when newer bands try their hands at things.
French force Meurtrieres sound like a band that easily could have been at home in the end of the 1970s and early 1980s and not seemed out of place at all. Their throwback style sounds inspired by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the followers of that movement, almost as if no time had passed since that era. Their killer first full-length record “Ronde De Nuit” (translates to “night watch”) is arriving, and it’s a blast for someone like me who has experienced so much metal history. The band—vocalist Fiona (she’s a newcomer and a fucking awesome force, replacing Fleur who sang on their self-titled debut EP), guitarists Flo Spector and Olivier, bassist Xavier, drummer Thomas—delves into medieval stories and inspiration taken from classical paintings, making those iconic scenes come to life. The lyrics are in French, so I can’t tell you much about the content, but that language barrier wasn’t a blocker from fully engaging and being ignited by this great piece of classic-style heavy metal.
“Rubicon” surges open, feeling stylistically like pre-Bruce Maiden, galloping hard as Fiona’s singing takes hold. The playing is spirited and strong, and even when the pace slows, the water still sits at a low boil until the intensity climbs again, ending in a halo of fire. “Aucun Homme, Aucun Dogme, Aucune Croix” brings vintage-style riffs and the playing slinking, Fiona out front in total command. The whole thing is punchy and infectious, bringing power kicking hard, guitars heating up and rushing, and a spirit that feels as old as metal itself reborn in 2023. “Tempête & Naufrage” has bubbling leads as the signing crushes, zapping hard past you, robbing you of breath. Fiery melody grips like a stranglehold, the soloing then explodes and spills colors, blasting back with fervor, bringing everything to a massive end.
The title track keeps pouring the fuel on the fire, the verses surging with explosive energy, and then the playing hits a tornadic force. Fiona’s singing hits a higher register, and the playing backs her with more bravado, making your blood zip through your veins. “Alma Mater” takes off, the verses spiked with power, the drums pulsing, the chorus letting loose. Later, the playing chugs, and a fluid solo follows, enveloping everything in glory before the final jolts loosen teeth. “Chevaleresses Du Chaos” takes its time coming to life, but once it does, it swaggers with authority, bringing smoke and blanketing everything with its charring heat. Fiona’s singing goes a little raspier in spots, and then the dual leads flex and rip through a growing fog, steamrolling to a dominant finish. Closer “La Revenante” charges through the gates, boasting an animalistic fury, Fiona’s singing trudging over your heart. Again, the band channels early Maiden, only edgier, all of the elements belting out and nailing souls to the floor.
As a sucker for the NWOBHM sound and the forces that came after that, Meurtrieres easily nail that sweet spot in my brain for this type of sound. “Ronde De Nuit” is a total force, one that’s a step up from where the band operated previously, and having Fiona out front elevates everything to a really special place. This is a fun, rollicking record, one that’ll make you want a sword in hand, ready for battle.
For more on the band, go here: https://meurtrieres.bandcamp.com/
To buy the album, go here: https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/
For more on the label, go here: http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/
Meat Mead Metal 