After discovering the strange band Wesmagühl at Festirock the previous year, Metal Express Radio was invited to their show at the Titi Twister this June. This was a lovely opportunity to see the band’s evolution. Although they have not released a new album since then, they recently unveiled a new song, “Elf”, accompanied by a video clip shot at the Château de Bon Repos in Jarrie.
The concert took place at the Titi Twister, a decent-sized live music bar on the outskirts of Grenoble. The audience was made up of friends, family members and fans, all gathered for an evening dedicated to Folk metal.
Hogna
The evening started with Hogna, a brand-new band with no social media presence yet. For now, they are simply a group of friends having fun together, playing their own compositions, and taking the first steps toward creating their universe. Their name is borrowed from a deadly spider. The band delivers a classic brand of Folk Metal featuring original instruments, with flute and pipes played by their multi-talented guitarist. Aude, the singer, alternates between powerful growls and clean vocal lines, while the lyrics explore themes of mystery, darkness, feminine power, magic and myths.
Despite being a new band with only a few concerts under their belt, Hogna clearly looked happy to be on stage and comfortable with their material. There were occasionally a few minor hiccups on the drums or guitars, but the performance remained tight overall. These small mistakes were easily forgivable, sometimes noticeable but quickly forgotten before they could have any lasting effect on the show.
The band’s greatest strengths are their sense of melody and the versatility of their singer and guitarist/bagpipes player. While the melodies are not overly original, this is perfectly understandable for a band that has not officially released any material yet and is still developing its identity. The melodies remain effective and clearly show the influence of Folk Metal bands like Eluveitie.
For this reviewer, Hogna was a complete discovery. It was nevertheless an interesting one. The set alternated between rather heavy songs and more melodic compositions, highlighting the pipes and flute. Among these tracks, “Agrippine” and “Medusa” stood out as the most accomplished compositions.
Overall, the band received a very warm welcome from friends, family members and local concertgoers who were discovering them for the first time. Hogna is a project that clearly deserves further development.
Wesmaguhl
Wesmaguhl’s set the previous year had been a fun and wild ride, and this one followed in the same vein, although it was shorter and featured fewer covers. The band has perhaps evolved by gaining confidence in its own material and offering something more serious and personal.
Visually, they once again tried to offer something original. Swords decorated the microphone stands, fake vegetation covered the stage, and the musicians looked like a bunch of rogue elves playing in their natural habitat. New outfits and make-up helped build up the fantasy atmosphere. The mid-set lineup changes, with the guitarist and bass player swapping places (as well as the drummer), are also original features of the band.
The show was not devoid of fun shenanigans either. The audience happily grabbed plastic swords to stage mock battles before sitting down together to row an invisible boat.
On vocals, Marjorie once again impressed with her warm and evocative voice, while also demonstrating great precision on the flute. Behind her, the rhythm section remained tight throughout the set. The guitarists and bassist headbanged relentlessly, and the bassist/guitarist also improved their growl technique.
The sound quality was great considering the small stage. The Titi Twister proved to be a pleasant venue, complete with quirky details such as a pair of punk boots nailed to the ceiling and a skull-shaped disco ball.
The set was shorter than last year’s and remained focused on the album In the Mist of Thoughts. “Knights” was the definite highlight of the evening. The band’s rendition of “Get Lucky” remained as fun as ever, while “Travelling”, although less immediately catchy than “Knights”, proved to be a more complex and imaginative composition. “Elf” provided a very satisfying conclusion to the set, with the band wearing capes that looked as though they had come straight out of The Lord of the Rings.
While the venue was not packed, the turnout was respectable. The audience remained playful, eager to participate and highly supportive throughout the performance. Wesmagühl is still travelling its own path through the Folk Metal forest, offering a fresh and entertaining take on the genre.
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