SORTILÈGE, as is well-known, went through some important changes three years ago. The legendary vocalist Christian Augustin, left the band after a dispute with the other members, and now we have two bands under the same name. “Apocalypso” is the new album of Christian Augustin’s SORTILÈGE, following the “Phoenix” debut a couple of years ago which included two new tracks (check out the wonderful “Toujours Plus Haut”), along with many re-recordings of SORTILÈGE’s classic songs.
“Apocalypso” tries to keep a very nice balance between the old days, the classic character of the band, and the new era. It would be too difficult, or even impossible, to compete with the 80s masterpieces of SORTILÈGE, so the band cleverly avoids the effort to re-live the past by just copying the old sound, but places its 80s touches to the new material very carefully.
The old fans of the band will get goosebumps with “Poseidon”, “Le scare du sorcier”, “Valkyrie, ” “Trahison”, or “Apocalypso”. Very good songs, with a nostalgic SORTILÈGE sound that is missing from the scene toady. They don’t have the sharp guitar solos that we learned in “Métamorphose” or the “Sortilège” EP, but the magic of SORTILÈGE is there; the vocals of Augustin, the melodic choruses and the whole atmosphere of these tracks is nothing else but beautiful and nostalgic French heavy metal.
Christian Augustin is trying to keep the music, the essence and the tradition of SORTILÈGE alive, and he is successful in that in a quite big percentage. Those who had spent many hours of their lives listening to “Majesté”, “Délire d’un fou”, “La hargne des tordus”, “Marchand d’hommes” and the rest of the classic metal anthems of the band, will find many moments in the new album that will cause similar feelings and satisfaction.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
