Jours Pâles, a project by Spellbound (singer – Aorlhac) was born from the ashes of Asphodèle’s first and only album, released in 2019 with Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions. Spellbound and Audrey Sylvain (Malenuit) were joined by Christian Larsson (Ex Apati, ex Shining, Gloson) Stefan Bayle and Sébastien Papot (Guitar and drums, Au champ des morts).
After the group’s dissolution that same year, Spellbound continued the adventure, composing with a desire for continuity as much as for a break, as the vocal duo was no longer present. This evolution responds to a desire to express themselves through the same states of mind and thick, dysthymic mists, while freeing themselves from the clutches of the past, abandoning the rock spirit for a stylistic evolution leaning towards a metal that remains melancholic, but with more galloping and aggressive overtones.
Éclosion, the debut album from this new offspring, is a personal assessment of a world more than ever considered dislocated and torn apart, but above all a perpetual search for hope and light, in both lyrics and visuals.
Far from flying solo, Spellbound was able to surround itself with musicians such as James Sloan on guitars (UADA, GRAVELIGHT) and Christian Larsson. The backbone was completed by several guests: Graf from Psychonaut 4 and Lilas Ondine Dupont (silhouette, backing vocals) as well as Sylvain Bégot (MONOLITHE) on lead guitar.
Sheltered from the world, awaiting the ultimate hatching, Jours Pâles was born…
Jours Pâles returns in 2022, still under the LADLO banner, with a second album entitled “Tensions”. Tensions is a personal representation of a dysthymic modern world perceived as cold, mechanical and disillusioned, where social networks and political scarecrows rule a Mephistophelian world in total loss of meaning and bearings. This general theme is visually represented on the artwork by Niklas Sundin (founding member of Dark Tranquillity, Laethora…) Musically, a more aggressive result but a vision that tends to distort the clichés through an egotistical composition, mixing genres once again. In addition to Spellbound, still at the helm (compositions, vocals, lyrics), the line-up this time includes musicians such as Alex G. on bass (AORLHAC, ALTAÏR, RITUAL KNIVES) Alexis S. on guitars, Ben L. on drums (B-Blast records) and the traditional guest appearance this time by Natalie Koskinen (from cult doom metallers SHAPE OF DESPAIR).
2023 saw a very positive response to “Tensions”, as well as the start of a collaboration with the booking agency “Eclosion booking”, and a busy year of concerts, including a 12-date tour of France and participation in a number of festivals throughout the country. Spellbound returned to songwriting, and the band’s third recording, “Dissolution”, was released on May 10, 2024, still via Les acteurs de l’ombre productions. The album’s themes refer to disunions and ruptures, as well as the role and place of social networks in human relationships.
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