A year ago today, instead of celebrating Valentine's Day in a silly way by giving heart-shaped toilet paper or other consumerist nonsense created for the occasion, you could have had your face smashed in at La Cigale for Shaârghot's tenth anniversary concert. Believe us, there was much more love in that oil-soaked chaos than in any supermarket promotional offer! We told you all about that memorable concert here... Those who were there were waiting to relive the moment while those who weren't wereagonising with regrets. But now everyone can join in: the concert is available on video, pending a future release of the audio version, accompanied by the superb artwork created by Kevin Marie for the occasion.
The release of a live recording is always a delicate subject: is it really relevant? We all know those bands that release a live album to fill the gap between albums! However, there are occasions when it is justified: a special configuration, a unique setlist, a different line-up, the end of an era, etc., are all arguments that make it relevant to freeze in time a moment in a band's life. For its tenth anniversary, Shaârghot thought big with a two-hour concert and the return of old tracks that hadn't been heard in a while.
The appeal is therefore manifold: you relive the energy of the moment, its intensity, from its extended intro and the escalating tension that promises a liberating explosion. Shaârghot's industrial metal is liberating. Violent, fun, uninhibited, angry, visceral, it combines a taste for entertainment with sincerity, a primitive, wild, authentic necessity. It still hits you right in the gut.
Above all, we won't lie to you, we quickly gravitate towards the older tracks, which have been reworked here. Shaârghot, well aware of pleasing his audience, pays close attention to his effects and, once again, plays with our nerves: the short intro that builds up to Uman iz Jaws is a treat. Later, the track Shaârghot takes on a new, religious dimension, with its inverted choirs plunging us into an indescribable futuristic temple before the steamroller. The production is up to scratch and in line with the band's current standards: it has gained in scope, richness, power and relevance. Right after that, The Way and its ‘jump to your right, jump to your left’ session revives the blissful smile of the concert, you know, that moment when you have to entertain metalheads by offering them simple activities, often involving jumping, spinning around or bumping into each other. The summer camp that sweats, stinks and shouts, but the happy summer camp.
And then there's the video. Because, well, Arte Concert are nice with their Hellfest replays and everything, it's technically very clean, but sometimes it's a bit boring, obviously, given the scale of the thing. Last year, Shaârghot's replay was enjoyable, partly because even in front of our screens, we could smell the stench of sweat and human body parts flying everywhere. Here, with its shots in the pit, those on stage, those flying over all these lovely people, we get a much better sense of the chaos and the spectacle, the theatrical construction of the setlist with its interludes, and the care taken to immerse us in this universe, with its lighting that highlights the make-up and costumes to bring this comic book universe to life. What's more, after trying to take photos of the band a bunch of times, we can gloat a little meanly: so guys, now you see what it's like to try to capture your image, not easy, huh? You risk your lives, but every time, the result is worth it!
By posting this ten-year anniversary live performance online, Shaârghot offers us a beautiful reminder of a beautiful moment. We know how demanding they are, and the final product lives up to expectations: polished, ambitious, with sound worthy of the name. There is no shortage of memorable moments: the ultra-violence of Life and Choices, the beating in Bang Bang, the creepy vibe of Z//B with the arrival of the mantises, the intimidating presence of the troopers before Black Wave, the Dante-esque Shadows at the end and its spine-tingling solo. It was great a year ago, it's great today, and thanks to this recording, it will remain great forever. This symbolic moment seems to mark a key moment in the band's life: now that they have become unmissable, we can sense that the coming years will see them reach a new milestone and become a reference point on the French metal scene. Well, let's hope they don't release a live album every two years, even if, given their growth rate and generosity on stage, we wouldn't complain that much.
