I think that this is my favorite thing about reviewing albums, to receive bands you never heard about, that you have absolutely no expectations and even let your preconceived ideas make you an opinion of an album before you've listened to it (by judging either the coverart, the name or the origin of the band). Well, after that album, this won't happen anymore, with this release the French proves that they can do not only the same, but even better than the others. This album, simply put is : an atomic bomb !

Okay, Manigance have made a 6 track demo (or first album / EP ? which I haven't heard) a few years back but this is their first full length album. Pretty high mark for a debut album my friends. The guys deliver an impressive album filled with only killer tracks, that renders the choice of selecting preferred tracks almost an impossible task. The guitar work is simply unbelievable, I still can't believe what I'm hearing, the guitar solos are the best I've heard in a VERY VERY VERY long time, they sound like the work of Patrick Rondat, but they are even more melodic. The singer is simply amazing too, delivering a demonstration of vocals. The band sings in French, and I think that might shock non French speaking people, just like Japanese lyrics of X-Japan may shock/annoy some people (like my brother Danny for example). Since I spoke French before I spoke any other language (even Greek) it of course doesn't bother me at all, in the contrary, I found it very original and I simply love it ! The singer even reminds me one of the most famous French's artist Jean-Jacques Goldman. You want power ? Manigance deliver you an amazing powerful ride. You want melody ? melody is these guys' firstname. Each and everyone of the songs contained in this unbelievable album is yet one more jewel to add to your collection of all-time favorite songs ! There's everything in this album : from melodic Speed Metal hymn to the nice Hard Rock tune with catchy chorus, and some more progressive moments (but I don't consider the band to be catalogued as progressive). God these guys rules !!!

I could write a whole book by song, to tell you how much the lyrics (which are absolutely brilliant by the way) or the music makes me feel, cause this is an emotion packed album, or emotion packed bomb if you prefer ! How amazing their choruses are, how unbelievable guitar and keyboard work is, etc, etc... This album is near perfect ! The production is near perfect too, rivaling with Edguy's last album Mandrake sound wise ! What's impressive is that the guys have built their own studio to record the album (which actually highly postponed its release). The album is gonna be released in April. A limited edition will contain a remasterized edtition of their EP Signe De Vie. Believe me I'm gonna get that album even if I have to make camp in front of the FNAC (French version of Virgin Megastore) for days :).

After Heavenly, it's the time for another French band to mark the history of metal with fire letters in the sky. I suggest you try the French lyrics cause there's no way I can predict that you will like it, French is a very rich language, if not the richest one, but that doesn't mean you'll like the way it sounds. I've listen to this album at least 50 times already and I don't feel like listening to something else for a long time to tell you the truth. The CD is stuck in my car CD player and will stay there for long, very long ! With this album : Manigance have instantly become one of my favorite bands. New metal gods have landed on this planet, and they're called Manigance ! I MUST be dreaming....