About This Item
Reissue 2024, ltd 300, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, insert, poster When Malédiction issued their »Condamnés« album on Brennus Music in 2001 (at the time exclusively on CD), reactions by the media and their hard core of fans was enthusiastic. However, traditional heavy metal went through a difficult phase at the beginning of the new millennium, so the band never got the credit they deserved, and disbanded a few years later after a second album entitled »Esclave Du Vice« (2004). Hailing from Laon in Northern France, Sylvain Mollard (guitar/vocals), Mathieu Poulain (guitar), Olivier Messaoui (bass) and Nicolas Mollard (drums) originally got together in September 1997. Starting off with a repertoire of cover versions by songs from Megadeth, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, they soon concentrated on writing their own material (sung in French). In November the same year, the foursome recorded their first demo tape in a hurry (during a two-day session) consisting of five tracks. Spurred on by positive reactions of the music press, Malédiction decided to re-record the five songs from the demo tape at Studio Val D'Orge between 15th and 24th of January 2021. Two brand new original compositions plus a cover version of InchLes Enfants de L'OmbreInch (by ADX) were added, and French tag Brennus Music consecutively opted to put out the album on compact disc. Musically, songs like InchLe Fils de SatanInch, InchLe Masque de FerInch or InchL'Ange NoirInch follow in the tradition of Blasphème, Sortilège, or ADX for that matter. The material falls into the category of mid-tempo heavy metal, with galloping riffs and catchy melodies. Singer Sylvain Mollard does a real good job with his melodic vocal style, as does lead guitarist Mathieu Poulain who quite obviously had listened to a lot of Randy Rhoads before he entered the recording studio. Unfortunately, the band which showed a lot of promi
