LAZARUS

There is some fantastic stuff here from an up and coming French metal band. Nothing groundbreaking but a damn sight better than most, good solid songs with room to breathe and progress. If you like heavy progressive music then this will put a big smile on your face; like and energetic "Gojira" or a chilled out "Between the Buried and Me".

Track 1 'To Walk Among Them' is probably the most impressive on the album running at a delightful 15 minutes with a great deal of movement and variation, almost an albums worth of ideas in itself. The album continues at a high quality with high energy. Track 4 'Phenomenon' arrives as a welcome breathing point, a very chilled instrumental which begs to be turned up; its greatness is due to is simplicity. The remaining songs are varied and excellent and round off the experience nicely.

The world of music is a better place because of bands like Hacride, the music is honest and the emotions shine through as real ones when many other progressive metal bands sound as raw and natural as tupperware. It's not perfect and won't be for everyone but if this is a sign of things to come then I can't wait for their next album. France is leading the way with heavy progressive music.