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EXISTANCE
Steel Alive

Mausoleum (2014)
Rating: 8/10

French metallers Existance begin their full-length debut opus Steel Alive with something akin to an 80s horror film soundtrack of throbbing guitars, pensive drums and a sprinkle of gothic keys, and then it’s onto the usual traditional metal gallop that seems to splatter thousands of heavy metal albums emerging at the moment. But hey, this quartet aren’t too bad at all.

Existance are bolstered by the vocal quality of guitarist Julian Izard (the son of former H-Bomb frontman Didier Izard) who, alongside bassist Thomas Drouin, has been with the band since their 2008 inception – drummer Alex Revillon and guitarist Antoine Poiret joined in 2012, meanwhile.

A formidable line-up, Existance are more than adequate when it comes to spewing out driving powerful metal which – according to the opus’ press release – has the aim of “keeping the musical spirit of 1980s heavy metal alive”. Now, I’ve heard countless bands say that through their press releases, but Steel Alive is a decent record; the effort boasts 11 sturdy numbers that showcase the talent of the twin guitar attack specifically, which is often mightier than the blade as Poiret and Izard carve out a grandiose set of melodies that reek of melody and precision.

Opener ‘Legends Never Die’ has an epic feel to it, and each instrument is allowed to breath courtesy of the fantastic mastering from Maor Appelbaum. Appelbaum was responsible for mastering albums from various artists such as Halford, Sepultura, Dokken and, notably, Yngwie J. Malmsteen – the reason I pick this particular guitar wiz’ out is because some of the shredding on this record is something he’d no doubt be proud of. Again, I refer to the opener with its fantastic guitar work and Izard’s classic metal call of the wild.

This pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album, which has its fires continuously stoked by the brilliant ‘Black Viper’ – which again features a killer solo and catchy riff – and the scintillating echoes of ‘The Siren’. This isn’t to mention my favourite brace of tracks, those being ‘Burning Angel’, with its simmering quality and whispered vocal, and the monstrous metallic beast that is ‘Steel Alive’.

Strangely, Existance’s debut is one that feels contemporary despite its nod to the good ol’ days, but it hasn’t succumbed to modern dynamics either, having an almost stark, stripped back quality where the guitar is king – nodding to the more progressive elements of varying bands ranging from Helloween, especially in its lightly salted thrashier elements, particularly on the aforementioned ‘Steel Alive’ where Izard at times hints at Sebastian Bach with his tone.

Yep, this is true metal, and this is something the band was aiming for. However cynical you may be regarding a lot of this revival rock, you cannot knock tracks such as the chugging ‘Get Away’, with its kicking percussion, or the fiery depths of ‘From Hell’, which comes complete with tolling bell, trotting horses and Jack the Ripper influence. “Don’t close your eyes and never turn your back…” warns Izard, and his words ring true when it comes to the band too, because you’d be a fool to ignore this chunk of pure steel.

Neil Arnold

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