MALEMORT – Château Chimères

French Touch

Their first two albums were a storming success in France. Malemort is a band like no others: an aesthetic of a penniless poet lost in the dodgy streets of Paris in the 1940s, mixed with a whole lot of Punk, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and a knack for catchy choruses and galloping melodies. Their utter originality got them on the main stage of Hellfest in 2018. Thus, the successor of French Romances (2012) and Ball Trap (2016) was eagerly awaited.

For this album, the band drew inspiration from the stories of the Chateau d’Hérouville, a mythical recording studio beloved by Pop and Rock Stars alike (David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Elton John…). It’s also there that Rainbow recorded their mythical Long Live Rock N’ Roll. The musical legacy of this place is astonishing.

Chimaera’s Castle: the legend of Hérouville

“Quelle Sorte D’Homme?” (What Kind Of Man?) is a race start for the album with a new sound, almost Pop but still undoubtedly Metal. With “Pyromane Blues” they do not slow down, leaving behind any Pop temptation and recycling their Thrash influences with their usual subtlety. “Je m’en irai” is perhaps the most surprising track on the record, surprising but delightful, and definite proof that the band is always trying to innovate.

If you don’t speak French, Malemort might just be an express class in modern Poetry. Both a strength and a restriction the lyrics are always in French, similar to the novelty and opium-induced genius of 19th-century romantics.

“Magnitude Pop” explores the more melodic and contemplative side of Malemort music before once again flaring up in great soli. All of the songs are great, but special mentions would go to “Maldoror”: surrealistic automatic writing meeting Punk/Hard Rock. “Comme Une Balle”: a hymn to the desperate fighters with a kind of chorus to revive hope. And “Sémaphore”: an ode to the figure of the tortured artist.

Final Thoughts

Château Chimère conjures images of an industrial world, where magic meets the mechanical. The underworld of a big city where characters are fleeting silhouettes: the thug, the femme fatale, the lost poets, and the orphans. Amidst all this darkness art and madness are thriving. Château Chimère is the third feat of strength for this band. Malemort is keeping its true sound while evolving into another strange and fascinating creature.

Château Chimère – Tracklist

01. Quelle Sorte D’Homme?
02. Pyromane Blues
03. Je M’En Irai
04. Magnitude Pop
05. Maldoror
06. L’Eau Des Fossés
07. Sémaphores
08. Comme Une Balle
09. Tu M’as Laissé Là
10. La Garçonne
11. Les Grands-Ducs
12. Décembre

MALEMORT – Lineup

Xavier Malemort – Vocals
Sébastien Berne : guitars
Sébastien Lafaye : guitars
Aurélien Ouzoulias : drums
Shob : bass