TENTATION “Le Berceau des Dieux”
By Dr. Abner Mality
France’s TENTATION don’t waste any time showing their IRON MAIDEN fixation, as first song “L’ Exode” features about the 5255th knockoff of the riff from “Two Minutes to Midnight”. I saw it mentioned somewhere that this is the most used riff in heavy metal. If you can’t get enough of it, here’s one more for you.
MAIDEN and classic NWOBHM like BLITZKRIEG, ANGELWITCH and the like forms the be-all and end-all for these guys. My feelings are uncertain, because this classic style is just so effective when done correctly and TENTATION are obviously in the upper echelon of NWOBHM-influenced metal. But wow, does this all sound so familiar! “Baldr” sounds like every dark metal power ballad EVER and tunes like “Lachute des Titans” and “Blanche” immediately get my brain playing the “where have I heard this before” game?
But it sounds RIGHT and dammit, I am still headbanging to most of the album. Even the all French lyrics aren’t a detriment, as the singer has such a smooth, Brian Ross-sounding voice. And the best is saved for last, as “Heavy Metal” is pure speed metal fury forged to wreck your neck.
Well played and well produced, “Les Berceau des Dieux” is classic Franco-metal for those who don’t agonize about novelty in their music.