Lady Ahnabel - 2025 - La Bionique

(57:02; M&O Music)






















Track list:
1. Bete De Cirque 6:03
2. Defier Les Dieux 4:26
3. Reves D'Enfant 5:27
4. Bionic 6:37
5. Ibidem 6:37
6. L'Effrontee 6:11
7. Lettre A Ma Vie 6:38
8. Diane 5:42
9. Dante ( Ankou, Le Retour) 9:21

Line-up:
Luke Skywam - guitars
Cweety Trash - vocals


French band Lady Ahnabel started out back in 2018, and presumably with a certain pandemic slowing down the development of the band a little prior to and following the release of their debut album "Vertuose" back in 2021. The band returned with the EP "My Taylor Is Rich" in 2023, and then signed with French label M&O Records for the release of their second studio production. Released now in the spring of 2025, this album is called "La Bionique".

Good, old heavy metal is what this band has to offer. In many ways a traditional album, where the band looks back to 80s NWoBHM and early power metal first and foremost, and mix and blend traditional heavy metal elements in with aspects of the former two styles and traditions.

Galloping riffs and rhythms and staccato riff and rhythm sequences are staples throughout here, with some tasteful keyboard details and synthesizer effects applied on occasion. The instrument lead sections tend to be of the more melodic variety, while the style and expression as such tends to stick to the hard and firm orientation with occasional lapses into more majestic and powerful surges. We do get some compositions that feature more delicate and occasionally ballad inspired passages too, but we also get more driving constructions that make good use of the never out of fashion dark and dirty sounding guitar riff.

While I would describe most of these compositions as fairly straight forward affairs, the band does experiment a bit with structure here too, with a few songs that have some marked alterations in pace, momentum, intensity and general expression. With a bit of a borderline progressive tendency being noted on occasion, and perhaps most profoundly on the 9 minutes and a bit concluding song 'Dante (Ankou, Le Retour)'.

The most striking element at play here are the lead vocals. In part because this is a French band that opts to use their own language, in part because vocalist Cweety Trash has a very distinct tone, timbre and mode of delivery. This is a vocalist that adds a ton of personality to the landscapes explored, which for some will be regarded as a clear asset while for others may be a bit alienating. The tone control and delivery is on point though, so this is very much a case of subjective taste in vocals that for some may be an issue with this album.

If you tend to enjoy bands that play around with the 80s NWoBHM tradition, the original power metal style that started to develop around the same time and a traditional heavy metal sound, and enjoy this combination explored in a more tight, firm but also melodic manner then this is an album you might want to check out. Especially if you tend to find vocalists with a more distinct voice a matter of general fascination.

Olav M. Björnsen, April 2025

Links:
https://www.ladyahnabel.com/
https://www.m-o-music.com/

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