Sortilège

Foreshadowing the rise of fellow contemporary European heavy hitters such as RAM, Mercyful Fate, Horacle, Stallion and Wolf is iconic French demonic roarer Sortilege with its steadfast and cutting-edge brand of occult-ish or other worldly themed vernacular, expunged in "la langue de Moliere" no less! Sighting a panoply of praiseful (MA) reviews is usually a good omen and encouraging sign so on this note, I'd like to spread the word on what could verily be the crown jewel of French heavy metal, as its self-titled EP, originally released in 1983 (but also limitedly re-issued on CD under No Remorse Records), compels me to launch anything not bolted down, its edacious, ecstatically gripping "namesake" track, notwithstanding. Assuredly, you don't need to be a Francophile to enjoy Sortilege's five screeching-ly tight tracks but there's a strong possibility they'll make you one.

What immediately struck me when I first heard this EP is its homogeneity (discounting language of course) with neighbouring NWOBHM crusaders Judas Priest, to a slighter extent, early (by this I mean its first three releases) Iron Maiden, and perhaps lesser modern-day precursors such as Angel Witch, Diamond Head and Blitzkrieg (I'd offer more precise examples but I need to brush up on my NWOBHM lore, having had my hands full lately with the "NWOTHM'). All the components are there: gritty yet accessible speed metal riffs (while also bordering on Megadeth/ Peace Sells...era thrash), squealing, face-planting solos, elaborately rendered drumming devoid of dull moments, thick and imposing bass lines as well as long range, high-pitch wailing on behalf of exuberant and passionate front man/ vocalist Christian "Zouille" Augustin...Hang the CLOSED or Do Not Disturb sign outside the door as you're in for some of the most exciting, ballsiest eighteen minutes of truly traditional old school heavy metal to come out of Gaul since...well, ever, as the Parisian quintet singlehandedly dominated its scene, surpassing by far colloquial hard rocking jesters, Satan's Jokers, and still stands the test of time to this day.

You've got to love the first few bars to "Amazone"; its poised guitar harmony entrance, ensnaring bass line and eventual badass riff-age takes you on a firmly rooted trip thanks to the hard-slinging duo of axe men Didier "Dem" Demajean (rhythm) and Stéphane Dumont (lead), who complement each other beautifully. As well, "Zouillle"'s heartfelt and ingratiating vocals are fun to listen to even if you don't understand the words. Admittedly, even though French is my second language, I still need the lyrics to follow through (blame it on my barbaric "Quebecois"!). Seriously though, I can't stress how good these guys are. I'm not as crazy about Metamorphose, Sortilege's debut full-length (its opener, along with a couple other tracks, grates on me somewhat) but hot damn! I could listen to this EP over and over...even if the cows do happen to come home!

Drummer Bob Snake and bassist Daniel Lapp impeccably fill the roster - there's no weak(est) link. Also, a definite black thrash-y Mercyful Fate vibe is felt on the lyrically sordid "Progéniture", with its thorough, zinging riffs, twisted verses (if your French is limited to cereal boxes - no offense - arm yourself with a translation app- it's well worth it!) and Zouille's feral extrapolations. Two minute "Gladiateur" glides in like a well-lubed Obelix, ready to pound the listener with its squat, pumping swagger.

Make sure not to miss the title track either as it maxes this EP - which stands tall regardless - out. Zouille's confident prose and epic delivery (he even unleashes a wild Halford-esque "Woooooooaaah!" shortly in, along with his head rolling cries of "Sortileeeeege!") - along with an edgy, rocket ride solo - snagged me post haste. "Le Bourreau" (The Executioner) has a wicked build-up and reeks of sardonic "je m'en foutisme", instrumentally and vocally. The main riff reverts back to form so compellingly you'll be instantly clamoring for more of the good stuff when it ends all too soon. Highly, highly recommended to ALL metal fans (thanks are also in order to those who unabashedly turned me!).

"Il fait froid dans le dos
Il t'empêche de dormir
Tu ne sais pas d'où il vient
Il caresse tes nuits
De ses ailes rougies
Par le sang des humains

Et quand soudain ses griffes
Se referment sur ton corps
Brûlant tes lendemains
Il suivra de loin
L'agonie du cortège
Qui emmène ton destin

Sortilège...Sortilège,
Sortilège...Sortilège!"

The French have some mighty fine musicians nowadays, but they have no Christian "Zouille" Augustin, they have no Stéphane Dumont. Sortilège is sometimes venerated to ethereal heights by those who remember them, and this EP once shook the scene in Europe. To know why, you only have to listen. No one knew who they were; most couldn't understand what they were saying. They disappeared almost as soon as they arrived, and no one knew where the giants went after that. What we do know is that they were truly awe-inspiring. They were not a great cult band, they were a great band, a true heavy metal colossus. They stood among the other giants of the French heavy metal scene – Blaspheme, High Power, ADX – with an almost godlike aura. They did no wrong throughout their first EP – hell, throughout their entire discography!

It's not merely hard 'n' heavy metal either: it captures something truly magical. They utilize the forgotten beauties of the French language, its inherent majesty and romanticism, to let their wild spirits speak. Something about their songs set them apart from the vulgar and simplistic concerns of many heavy metal bands. They are not men of practical affairs but dreamers and prophets. The songs seem to capture a true spiritual agony, true inner conflict – something few metal artists do so convincingly. Their music has the mark of elevation, of imagination. Many talented musicians get nowhere because they are held back by the absence of imagination; but these guys seem to dream of the stars as they sing of their duty.

There seems to be more behind the riffs than mere notes – something is being said. They don't say it with wimpy nonsense, with melodramatic trash, with hokey ballads or ballroom cynicism; they mean it. They play it loud and fast, but they play it with elevation and heart. They could have been great playing mere metal, but instead they traveled farther, into regions of great beauty and power. The riffs are unmistakably first-rate: they have felicity, passion and vigor; but they develop too, throughout the songs. The structures are broad and imposing, like a stately castle or beautiful ruins. As musical architects they were classicists, not modernists; they stuck to the Gothic, not drawn to the modern and progressive.

The singer has a somewhat feminine voice, but he fully embraces it to earn himself a somewhat angelic presence. He gently floats above the instruments to deliver his message; he guides his fellow band members from above. And it is so poignant emotionally too: every scream, every yell, feels as if it is an amplified sigh straight from the heart. The drumming, meanwhile, is used to accentuate the textures throughout with original touches and flair. This is no steady, on the beat drumming performed next to a click-track, but interestingly utilized drumming that is very present throughout the entire record. The guitar solos are brief here, but every note captivates. The man was fingering as if his life depended on it. Are there more perfectly breathtaking solos to be found in the entire metal repertoire? The band members invoke the great dignity of the acoustic guitarists of yore without even unplugging.

I speak of them only through abstract concepts, because to reduce them to mere musical execution seems almost banal. You can't reduce the greatest poems of Goethe to mere metrical schematics, nor can you can dissect Sortilège's music to the bone to discover the source of greatness. There is no great musical trickery, no flashy, inventive musical device. What we can say, to continue the parallel with Goethe, is that Goethe said he wrote poems in certain meters only once he had gotten so comfortable with them he could compose with them spontaneously. So it seems to be for Sortilège too: they songs are intricate and well-designed, but they seem to come about effortlessly, spontaneously. The signs of labor and construction are hidden. Nothing about the songs seem mannered or designed - unlike many grander progressive rock projects, there is no feeling of trying too hard. They are easy on the ear and enter the heart almost stealthily.

If this band had been in the right place, they could have been an international phenomenon. Sortilège is spoken of with an almost worshiping reverence by some, and they deserve that praise. Many lament their fast disappearance, but it befits their status. They were the great Hebrew prophets in the desert, the innocents in the garden of the Hesperides, last vestiges of a past paradise, the final traces of the original metal explosion. The band was born and dying as if within the same breath, with no time for its power to falter or its light to fade.

You may have played every album Judas Priest made from front to back several times; you may have memorized every Iron Maiden tune; you may have an autographed Black Sabbath CD – but still, if you haven't heard Sortilège, if you have never heard these musicians soar to higher musical plains, if the band name is nothing to you but obscure French, you are missing out. This is one of the greatest release I've heard in the entirety of metal. It literally made me tremble in awe.

Lets's take a trip to France and see what their glorious metal scene had to offer. I'm sure all or most of you die-hard metal fans out there already know Sortilege, or maybe just might've heard of them, but needless to say, they are indeed the greatest French band that has ever existed. Period. Plain and simple. And with their first EP, it is very apparent that these guys surely had the raw talent to take over the world. This is exactly what metal is supposed to sound like, the scorching falsetto and head voice vocals, the totally heavy, yet melodic twin guitars, actual audible and dirty bass and drumming that will always leave you breathless. Oh and did I mention that they sing in french? This is what we are offered on this EP and much more.

"Amazone" starts off with a bang, where the slow melody is transformed into a full-out heavy metal anthem. "Progeniture" may seem like a typical metal song, but if you continue to listen to it, we see a wide range of drum fills, the usage of twin guitars and it showcases Christian Augustin's amazing vocal range. "Gladiateur" is a the weakest song on the album, but still very much enjoyable, a few hooks here and there. "Sortilege" is where a true masterpiece is present, as it is considered to be a global metal hymn, and it's safe to say why, I mean, listen to that chorus! "Bourreau" finishes the EP quite well indeed, with the use of that riff heard after the intro, which then blisters into a high-tempo metal attack. This process repeats for most of the song, overlapping Augustin's angelic voice. It seems almost impossible for any metal fan to hate this album!

Written for HeavyMetalGems.blogspot.com

My review will be concentrated only on the first five original tracks mainly due to them being the "clou" of the album. The English versions aren't bad but they really can't be compared to the original ones.

Each of these five songs could be a killer song if it had been put on a different LP's. BUT they are all here together!

Vocals of Christian "Zouille" Augustin are amazing. Bob "Snake" Dumont's drumming is excellent. Riffs are excellent. The only "worse" part of this album is a little bit harsh production, although it can be easly forgotten while you are listening to this masterpiece.

It is very hard to choose the better tracks as all of them are really on equal level (and I wish other bands' debut EP's would be on THIS level...). I would personally single out the title one "Sortilège" it determines the style of the band and it shows each of musicians from their best side. If you are fan of Death and Chuck Schuldiner you should be aware of the opening track Amazone as the first riff from this song was used by Chuck in his hit "Evil Dead".

What can I say more? If you are a fan of classic heavy metal, there is no possibility that you will dislike Sortilège. In my opinion their next LP "Métamorphose", even though it was quite similar, it didn't reach the level of the debut. Only the last album "Larmes de Héros" (a masterpiece!!!) outstripped the "Sortilège" EP.