Syndrome 81 - Vivre et mourir (Guest Review By Kevin McGovern)

 

    A big thank you today to Prostitutes frontman Kevin McGovern for recommending the new album by Brest (France) quintet Syndrome 81. Kevin featured on here earlier this month when I posted a track from his latest band, The Trouble Seekers' debut album  https://thetroubleseekers.bandcamp.com/album/the-trouble-seekers

  It’s amazing how just sheer power and a few choice notes can turn an ordinary song into a brutal symphony. That’s exactly what Syndrome 81 (https://www.facebook.com/syndrome81) does on their most recent LP Prisons Imaginaires. A neurotic Molotov cocktail of classic Oi! generously laced with the spidery sting of early 1980s UK post-punk. The spirited sounds of punk’s past have been modernized and the impact is intense. https://syndrome81.bandcamp.com/album/prisons-imaginaires

  A few weeks ago I was really in the mood to hear some new music. I was burned out and nothing I had sounded good. It’s easy to feel that way when you’ve listened to your collection 10,000 times over. I’m a tough customer. When I’m on the prowl, I need something that will sucker punch my senses. I heard the band’s name mentioned various times in music discussion groups when someone was seeking out new bands to take a chance on. So I thought I’d give them a shot.

  Their LP immediately caught my attention in a way that most new punk doesn’t. The production is enormous, very clear, and very confident. It sucks you into a new dimension. The band’s playing is feverishly focused and tight. The power chords burn bright and the literate guitar leads dictate the mood. The haunting notes and echoey atmosphere create a new context for classic punk rock aggression. Vocal lines are shouted but then sung with intense melodic prowess. The combination of all these eclectic elements places you in the center of their unique universe. Syndrome 81 is definitely leaving their mark on the world. 

  Check out the first track on the album, “Vivre Et Mouri”. It’s a great representation of what this band is capable of...

Toujours en détresse Toujours la même poisse Toujours les mêmes rues dédale sans issue Toujours dans l’ivresse Toujours les mêmes nuits Toujours les mêmes rêves noyés dans la tise Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir dans cette putain de France Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir dans cette putain de France Toujours en échec Toujours la même merde Toujours les mêmes cordes enserrant nos cous Toujours prisonniers Toujours les mêmes chaînes Toujours les mêmes maîtres qui nous tiennent en laisse En laisse, en laisse pour le restant de nos vies Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir dans cette putain de France Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir dans cette putain de France Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir, vivre et mourir Vivre et mourir dans cette putain de France