Elyose’s heaviest to date

Elyose describes themselves as “Gothic nu metal.” However, Justine Daeé’s influences run much deeper than this. She cites gothic metal bands from Scandinavian countries as her biggest influences, mentioning the bands Tristania, Draconian, Theatre of Tragedy and The Sins of Thy Beloved. The overall sound of Elyose’s music is reminiscent of Opeth, Delain and Ayreon. This blending of sub-genres within the genre of metal is heard time and time again throughout Devianté. Devianté was released on February 9 and translates to “Deviant” –  a fitting name for an album with a new band lineup and a new musical direction. Justine Daeé takes her music in a heavier direction, while still retaining the classic melodic sound of Elyose.

The first of 9 songs on Devianté is “Ils t’ont dit,” a song which opens with virtuosic guitar parts filled with harmonics, and builds to a chorus reminiscent of Evanescence crossed with Of Mice & Men. It is followed by “Le Glaive,” a track that showcases Elyose’s history of combining heavy riffs with melodic vocals. A heavy, modal intro is countered by a chorus that showcases Daeé’s soaring vocals.

“Vendredi Noir” and “L’Embleme” most clearly show their gothic metal influence and appreciation for Scandinavian metal bands, with riffs and arrangements similar to something that would be found on an Ayreon or Evergrey album. Daeé’s clean vocals are the perfect contrast to driving guitar parts & aggressive double-kick infused drums.

“Retour au réel” is an intense, modal song that is featured twice – once as the fifth track of the album, and a second time as a radio edited version to close the album. Daeé’s clean vocals once again contrast with one of the heaviest songs on Déviante.

The self-titled track “Déviante” marks a clear change of pace. The band delves into symphonic metal, creating a sound similar to the Dutch metal band Delain. This is not the only symphonic metal-influenced track on the album; the tracks “Le Glaive,” “Humaine” and “L’Assemblée” feature similar production elements.

“L’Assemblée” features French metal vocalist Cocozher, and as a result, features screamed vocals in its chorus & bridge. Cocozher’s screamed vocals blend well with Daeé’s vocals when they both sing lead during the chorus; the overall performance will catch listeners’ attention.

Déviante closes with the track “De La Lune A La Terre,” a track in which Daeé’s vocals are at their most melodic on this track, and the riffs are arguably at their heaviest. As a result, it serves as the perfect closer to the album.

Overall, Déviante bridges the gap between the music Elyose fans have grown to love and the new direction Justine Daeé wants to bring the band in. It leaves no questions about her ability to write heavy, yet catchy, metal songs, or about the musical ability of her new band. Déviante has painted a great picture of the new Elyose, and will leave fans of the band wanting to hear what they’ll do next.