There is no question that Iron Maiden are one of the finest bands on the planet today, but it is also true that they are a very different beast now to the youthful firebrands who played the Rainbow and the Ruskin Arms with a ferocity that bordered on punk. In the world of Hurlement, that youthful version of Maiden still play with rip-roaring attitude and the scent of blood in their nostrils and Paul Di’Anno reigns supreme. Hailing from France, Hurlement are yet further proof that the French heavy metal scene has become a force to be reckoned with and, drawing strength from acts such as Manowar, Judas Priest and Angel Witch, the band couldn’t be any more metal if they were to be dropped into a vat of steaming hot lead. From the stunningly visceral cover art (courtesy of JP Fournier) to the rather odd (yet highly entertaining) Bust Patrol, Hurlement embody the very spirit of Heavy Metal and it is quite impossible to listen to the album without a) a huge grin plastered across your face from start to finish and b)banging your head until your neck hinges break.
‘Terreur er tourment’ is Hurlement’s second full-length album and it is notable for featuring songs in both English and the band’s native tongue. Irrespective of language the lyrics are well-written and tackle familiar themes of ancient battlegrounds and honourable bloodshed upon the field of combat, although the Catholic horror of the inquisition also makes an ugly appearance upon the opening track. Musically, the band hit the ground running. ‘Inquisition’ (sung in French) juxtaposes the foul tortures doled out by the titular inquisitors and the supposed sanctity of religion against a backdrop of martial drums, harmonised guitar leads and Alexis The Warnabot’s Rob Halford-aping vocals. Few people can hit those crystalline highs with such power and precision and Alexis demonstrates from the off that his vocal abilities are up there with the very best, while the band lay down a blazing trail of molten trad-metal for Alexis to follow. ‘The Harvester’ follows hot on the heels of ‘the inquisitor’, setting a hectic tempo and heralding the introduction of English lyrics. Strongly reminiscent of Priest circa ‘British Steel’, Hurlement’s strength lies in the fact that they play blistering metal but with a strong melodic edge that grabs the listener and keeps them hooked from first to last. The band may not be breaking the mould here, but they have clearly tapped into the very essence of what made bands like Priest, Maiden and Manowar great and developed accordingly. Heading into the abyss, and returning to French lyrics, next up is ‘Prince Noir’ a metallic rampage with a folk-ish melody at its heart that gives Francois Porte plenty of opportunities to show off his dexterity on the guitar. A personal favourite, ‘the sign of the beast’ is pure Judas Priest with Alexis adopting a growl that is pure Halford over a beat that is as relentless as the gallop of horses on the road to war. With the sort of chorus that is made to be sung by denim and leather clad teenagers across the world over flagons of beer, the band even find time to introduce a beautifully played (and beautiful) acoustic section that is as unexpected as it is original before slamming back into the song’s main melody with a force that sets the listener’s teeth rattling.
With the band in full flow, the remainder of the album flies by with the ‘song of steel’ only briefly slowing the pace for a rousing call to arms that recalls the battles of old when speeches were made from horseback to inflame the valour of the participants, and there is no doubt that the track sets the blood a-pumping in the veins as the guitars rage against the war drums of Pierre Porte. ‘Dogue De Broceliande’ similarly sends adrenalin coursing through the listener as a simple melody is given a hefty kick thanks to the pyrotechnics of Francois Porte’s increasingly demonic displays upon the guitar. ‘Last days of summer’ is a beautiful folk lament that is brief and poignant and segues into the epic ‘brothers of the watch’ which is the equivalent of someone transcribing the Battle of Helms Deep (LOTR) into heavy metal prose… with added cowbell. ‘Tigres volantes’ is a fast paced blast through the mosh pit to the grand finale, the moody, melodic ‘a feu et a sang’ which closes the album on a near-progressive vein with its acoustic guitars and vocals slathered in backwards reverb plunging headlong into one last seething cauldron of heavy metal mayhem.
Hurlement make no attempt to hide the fact that they are soldiers of the old school. Far from reinventing the wheel, Hurlement’s one mission is to make the wheel as good as possible, demonstrating both their excellent musicianship and their excellent grasp on melody in the process. For those who maintain their passion for heavy metal in much the manner that one would attend to the eternal flame, then Hurlement are an excellent proposition. Fans first and foremost, Pierre, Le Gorg, Francois and Alexis carry the torch for pure, old school heavy metal with pride and style, and, by building the album upon a bedrock of passion, they make this collection of songs something special for metal fans to treasure. The music here is meant to be enjoyed with a flagon of foaming ale and in company. It’s the soundtrack to a medieval feast overflowing with rare meat and casks of ale and mead and it never fails to kindle excitement. If you love heavy metal; if you’ve ever sewn a patch on to a denim shirt; if you wear your hair long and worship at the almighty altar of the NWOBHM then ‘terreur et tourment’ is for you.
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