Introducing: Xystenz

French band Xystenz offers up a fascinating metal meets punk sound that fuses pure metal intensity with more melodic moments.

The Parisian act, formed of Guillaume ‘YomY Yom’ Ruinart de Brimont (vocals, guitars and bass) and Philippe D (drums), first started out back in 2003 and made an impact on the French underground scene with two EPs (check out this 2006 video of their single Dead-Alive). But the duo has returned with a couple of new members adding depth to the XYSTENZ sound in Alex R (lyrics and backing vocals) and Cyrielle M (vocals).

On the sound they’ve honed, Yomy told us: “Xystenz is a reflection of our reason for being, put to music through my preferred approach: heavy metal and punk. The search for the ultimate percussive melody highlighted by my long-time musical partner Phil D. The collective is all the more inventive as there are no limits imposed on creation, and the contribution of each member in Solar Redemption is the meaning of this single.”

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As alluded to, the Parisians have returned in style with Solar Redemption, which was released last week. It opens up with a funky little riff that kicks into life alongside big rolling drums and drop into a lively verse of engaging vocals and driving guitar chords. Shouted vocals take over, the pace drops briefly and heavy stabbing guitar chords drop into a section of mellow guitars. The pace picks up as it flows into delicious dual vocals between Yomy and Cyrielle, which give way to a cool little riff and a noodling guitar solo bringing the track to an enjoyable conclusion.

On the new track, Yomy told us: “Solar Redemption is a true hymn of power, faithful to the band’s metal/punk spirit. It offers an explosive cocktail of heavy/metal/punk, all sprinkled with lyrics addressing the themes of doubt, malaise, the meaning of our human condition, and the search for an ultimate ideal. A powerful, percussive metal sound with a soaring finale that, we hope, will leave no one indifferent. A top-of-the-range production, masterfully conducted at the Floxxsound studio in Montreuil (93), completes the picture.” Check it out in the stream here:

The Xystenz sound is inspired by great metal bands of the past and present, as Yomy tells us: “This collective is solid, a united family nurtured by shamanic sounds influenced by Metallica, Black Sabbath, Misfits, Tool, Pantera.”

Solar Redemption offers an intriguing taster of what’s to come, and Xystenz will be back in the studio working on new music later this year. They’ll also soon be releasing remastered versions from their first EP, Bullet Wanted… You Got It.

You can follow Xystenz on Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.