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Grendel - Le Diable En Personne review



Reviewer:
7.0
Band: Grendel
Album: Le Diable En Personne
Release date: 2007


01. Grass Power 2
02. Génération NRV
03. Un Rêve Brisé
04. Plus De Sexe
05. AT
06. La Machine
07. Les Agités
08. Sans Orizons
09. Busherie
10. Le Diable En Personne
11. Pour Nos Enfants
12. Adieu

The name of Grendel comes from an aquatic monster of the Beowulf's legend but now it will also be the name of a French Hardcore combo. I'm always a bit skeptical when I have to listen to a new French Hardcore band, it was so trendy here some years ago that it was just impossible for all the other people who use to listen to extreme music to see live something else than those bands? However I've never said that they all were bad, they were just too many and since that I have nothing against this music (except with the "too many" point) I tried this release and found some good stuff in it. If you like such sound, then why can't you try it?

Obviously, Grendel plays French Hardcore and if you really need to have a little comparison I think that a band like Lofofora can be a good example. Though "Le Diable En Personne" is a really heavy and aggressive album, so don't expect anything psychedelic here, in general the songs are fast, heavy and all have some fast rhythms. The music of Grendel is a pure "in your face" sound with really good Hardcore riffs. It's not really technical but has balls and for sure this kind of music is probably perfect for the lives. On the other hand, even if this first album is all but not bad, this is maybe not really surprising if you use to listen to this kind of music. In fact, Grendel will be able to become a famous member of this "musical league" in my opinion but even if this release is good, I didn't find anything new in it. It's a good album of French Hardcore but it's not a musical revolution?

The lyrics are in French and badly, some of them are a bit cliché (cannabis apologies etc? ok but?). The recording is ok too but not wonderful but at least the performance of the musicians is correct and the voice of Sam is really strong and convincing. He is a good Hardcore singer. All in all, this album will find success in France probably but it will be harder out of the country. The French Hardcore is really special, first it's in French but also you cannot find the groove of the American one which is a bit sad (yes I prefer to listen to bands like Hatebreed or Pro Pain) but well have a look on this release and at least you'll understand what I mean.

For a first album, "Le Diable En Personne" is a good release. Grendel is a promising young band and well I think that they will find a lot of fans in France. Let's see how they will continue their musical journey, if they can evolve and find a sound a bit more personal and not so "French", then maybe that they will be able to become famous outside of the country. Time will tell?


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 7
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 29.12.2007




Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 34 users
29.12.2007 - 20:12
/ELVET (O)
Account deleted
Lulz, i thought this was the aggrotech Grendel for a second. I would have been well impressed that some had reviewed a harsh EBM band on here.
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01.01.2008 - 14:35
Valentin B
Iconoclast
French hardcore? is it any different from "regular" hardcore?
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17.06.2009 - 13:06
Hamird
Lieutenant
Written by Guest on 29.12.2007 at 20:12

Lulz, i thought this was the aggrotech Grendel for a second. I would have been well impressed that some had reviewed a harsh EBM band on here.


Haha. Same for me, I thought that's the Aggrotech Grendel, but I came here and found that it isn't.. And the funny thing is I'm in this Grendel fan list while I've never heard of them..
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