ROZZ “Tranches De Vie”

Promorock Music, 2013

Music: Progressive Rock / Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Website: www.facebook.com/ROZZofficial
Duration: 62:55 minutes (16 tracks)
Country: France

The beginnings of ROZZ reach to 1984, in that year they released first demo. In the following years there are a little more releases together with the first debut album “Une Autre Vie”. However, after the album’s release took place a hiatus in existence over 20-year. Then, until in 2010 the men returned with a new album, “D’un Siecle A l’autre”, and in 2013 years they recorded next album “Tranches de Vie”. Of course, the original line-up of the band was changed. In the band only the guitarist Marcel Ximenes stayed, who now took over the vocal functions additionaly. While the rest of the team members are basically new people.

The album “Tranches de Vie” presents a very specific combination of Hard Rock with Heavy Metal… Yes, specific… It mainly thanks to French-language texts and specific style of singing vocalist. Specifically, I think about the specific phrasing of singing, which combined with the variable rhythmic of the music brings to mind the old French Progressive Rocka band ELOHIM. The especially resemblance to the album “Manu Perdu” from the 80s.

To be honest, I perceive retrospectively the whole album, starting from the sound of the instruments, especially the guitars and the keys and ending to the typical arrangements for 70-80 years. It would be pretty cool, but is the one obstacle that it’s hard for me to digest the vocalist who I have the impression that he sings out of tone. Maybe this is a deliberate way of singing, because it is more clearly heard in the song “Crazy Horses”… the grotesque falsetto in style of BEE GEES…

The arrangements seem to be the quite intricate and complex, almost in style of Progressive Rock. The music sometimes is able to be very feisty and energetic, sometimes more melodic and melancholic, and certainly sometimes is surprising (especially the keyboards inserts).

“Tranches de Vie” creates a very weird atmosphere, a little dark and predatory, a little nostalgic and certainly grotesque… If the band would have done the better vocals and the better sound then would be ideal.

Tracklist:

1. Condamn?
2. Les loups
3. Crazy Horses
4. Croisade
5. Unis
6. Les conqu?rants
7. M?nag?re Blues
8. Guitariste
9. La Nuit
10. Rozzy
11. La meilleure vie
12. Val?rie
13. Progr?s
14. Psychopiano
15. Vol de nuit
16. Epilogue

Line-up:
Marcel Ximenes – vocals, guitars
Axel Dordain – guitars
Alain Ximenes ? keyboards
St?phane Moulin ? drums
Herr Day ? bass

Rate: 8.0/10