France has always had a reputation for art, romance, and existential philosophy, but lately it seems to have developed a bit of a side hustle in producing some seriously ferocious music. The Prestige, a Paris-based four-piece, are a perfect example of this wonderful phenomenon. Isthmos, their second album (which arrives barely a year after their debut) reinforces a growing feeling I’ve had lately that if the French scene keeps this up, I may need to start browsing property listings in Marseille or Poitiers. There’s clearly something in the water over there….or maybe it’s in the wine!
At their core, The Prestige sit pretty squarely in the post-hardcore camp, but what makes Isthmos so damn compelling is how often they let themselves sink into that vast, tectonic territory occupied by bands like Cult of Luna and The Ocean. There is a sense of scale and awe to these songs that leaves the listener feeling rather insignificant and unbelievably small. It only adds to the mystique that this record was reportedly recorded live. Either these musicians are frighteningly tight, or there were some very tasteful overdubs involved…possibly both.
The opener ‘Léthé’ begins with haunting piano and twinkling atmospheric synths, creating a sense of calm before the incoming storm. The clean vocals are instantly striking, ringing out smooth and clear without sounding uncomfortably polished. The first line, “Open your eyes,” did briefly make me wonder if we were about to veer into Bohemian Rhapsody territory, but thankfully the band do resist the urge to start operatic harmonies and instead focus on building something far more intense, far more dynamic and far less Freddie.
And they show off their dynamic range by the bucketful on this record! ‘Noire Nuit’ is, at times, a sludge-filled black hole, dense, abrasive, and unapologetically heavy, with moments that could almost be mistaken for fellow French band Gojira. Then you get ’Sunborn’ which focuses more on stunning melodies and building a sense of space. This is undoubtedly a band who have an impressive ability to create tension through emotive songwriting. It’s this push-and-pull that keeps the record engaging; they know when to smother the listener and when to let them breathe.
The guitar tones across the album deserve special mention. They’re absolutely stunning, clean passages shimmer, distorted riffs hit like an avalanche, and the transitions between the two feel seamless. The masterful use of reverb gives a chasmic space to the sound without turning the whole thing into a muddy wall of noise. Meanwhile, the vocal performance is equally impressive. The singer moves effortlessly between raw screamo, clean singing, spoken word, and more extreme vocal techniques. The fact that he comfortably switches between English and his native French adds further character and authenticity to an already stellar performance.
Midway through the record, ‘Rose Du Désert’ delivers one of the album’s standout moments. The band build that slow, meditative crescendo that could easily pass for a Neurosis or Cult Of Luna track. I discovered this the hard way whilst sitting on a train inadvertently banging my head to those massive, rolling chords. I suspect fellow passengers assumed I was either very excited to be on a train or just plain mad.
If there’s a criticism to be made, I can’t find it. Isthmos is an impressive, immersive record from a band that write like they’ve been doing this for over a decade. If this is what The Prestige can accomplish on album number two then we may well be looking at the future leaders of the French heavy music scene…now, what are those house prices like?
Best Paired With: A pair of old converse, a neck-brace and a hip-flask of brandy.
Reviewed by Bryn.
the prestige – isthmos is out now on banshies.
Leave a Reply