We ‘met’ Resolve when they released their single “Abyss” in May. The Lyon, France based quartet of Anthony (vocals), Nathan (drums), Robin (bass), and Aurélien (guitar) caught our attention with their heavy and hectic sound as well as captivating our curiosity with the depth of meaning in their music. Rêverie is the debut EP from the band; a collection of six tracks which is set to put Resolve on the map in the world of heavy music.
“Exposed” is the first on the EP, with Resolve’s massiveness of sound coming in full speed after a curious melody at the introduction. The fire that’s contained within this track is intense. It’s a needed expression, a means of making sense of what is felt. With “Exposed” we are plunged into a cold sweat by night terrors; left unable to breathe and left confronted by fears, not in control of our minds.
“Digging my own hole, until I find oblivion
Scared by the outside, I hide my fears behind my pride”
The desperation and fear expressed in “Exposed” is palpable as Resolve hit deep intensity of breakdowns and relentless questioning. A hectic pummelling via drums feels like a last ditch fight to get through this. It is an intense and impressive start to the EP.
Second on the EP, “Abyss” maintains the same intensity and we are pulled into the track with an introduction that feels fraught with complications. “Abyss” echoes the same late night bombardment of fears and looking to the future but kept stuck that “Exposed” did. The fury seems self-directed, and is most powerfully captured in the chorus, which has remained firmly in my own head since hearing it:
“Why the fuck can’t you just be happy?
Constantly wondering if that pain is deserved,
Why everything seems so cold and empty?
Can’t you see?
Future is not written”
With force, Resolve are trying to break us (and themselves too) free of the confines of the limiting known and moving into the boundary-less new. They seem to be sharing that trying to assimilate into something that isn’t honest to our nature is too restricting, and with that, staying stuck and hurt is unnecessary.
This bombardment of breaking shackles and moving into the new is powerful, beautiful, and captivating on all fronts.
“Trust me and be yourself
Live free, die honest
We are one until we fall”
“Rapture” has Resolve direct their focus and fire toward religion, in particular the untold negativity behind the veil of purity. A pulsed melody echoes out, with building drums and screams building strength. Pure fury blasts out, with searching guitar and relentless drums.
“They say white, I see gold
Too many untold stories, too many secrets
They say doves, I see crows
I’ll never be the lamb of their fold”
Softer interludes moves into the richness of emotion, sparking a sense of hurt at the hands of religion and how it has impacted upon families and selves.
Resolve’s bassist Robin shared that “Rapture” was challenging to write, but that what resulted was “maybe the most mature song we’ve created so far”. Robin went on to say
“Lyrically, it’s a departure from the previous themes we explored, aiming to discuss the delicate topic of religions and how it often leads to division rather than gathering. With this release, we wish to unveil another aspect of Resolve: as a band, we thrive to constantly broaden our horizons while establishing our own identity in the meantime.”
“Rapture” is an impressive track in its massiveness, truly holding nothing back.
“Rapture” flows straight into “Rêverie”, a surprising change of pace, which sparks goosebumps in its calm openness. With this we are taken into a moment of awareness with Resolve, as they seem to notice their true expansive selves in their daydream. And then also noticing themselves again as they fall back out into fear.
“Is it okay to escape from yourself?
When everything is tasteless
I can feel them all around again
I’ve built these walls”
I love the shifts in this track, with momentary quiet before full band expansion feeling inexplicably emotional, like opening up into something beautiful. “Rêverie” feels like a desire to feel more, yet also struggling to do so when it feels vulnerable.
While “Navel-Gazing” begins with contemplative piano and gentle beats, don’t be fooled about what’s to come. This track hits hard. It is a heavy hearted and disgusted view of another who is shallow by way of expression, appearance, and how they present themselves. They need to be taken down a peg and to be real with themselves, and Resolve do this via heaviness and impressive riffs.
“What are those words coming out of your mouth ?
I don’t get the meaning
Trapped by self-absorption
Growing your own poison.”
There is so much hate for falseness and fire toward revealing the truth, and I am beginning to see the entirety of Rêverie carrying this important message. Resolve brilliantly express their message in tender questioning at times, in amongst a hefty smackdown. I adore the intensity of the track as well as the breakdown section of “Navel-Gazing” and I could see this becoming a favourite. Guitars are a standout.
Rêverie ends with “Binarity”. This track explores the internet age and its impact upon us. There’s big open spaces in this track for contemplation, wondering what we’re doing in handing over our lives to a digital space and ‘technology slavery’, perhaps fooled to believe that this is actually our advancement.
“These needs have been created by us
Constantly looking for more comfort”
The track lyrically hits home to these things we’re doing to ourselves, and the circumstances we’ve created, in which being ‘followed’ or ‘unfriended’ can make or break us. Instead this is an artificial electronic circumstance and we are often so immersed in it that we forget what is actually real, and forget to look to our own individual truths.
In the beautiful collection of songs on Rêverie, Resolve are sharing this message of utmost importance; for each of us to look to our own truths, despite it being something we may fear, and have truth as the driver behind our choices and expression of self.
Railing against falseness, it seems Resolve want anything that prevents us from being real to be unraveled and undone, paving the way for greater collective authenticity.
They’re urging for us to step out from behind fear, religion or technology, and to unite in a stance of being true to ourselves, to make a difference, as well as to create a better future, not being stuck frozen in where we may currently be.
The Lyon quartet not only hit a powerful mark with their messages, but also have expressed them with powerful and thoughtful dynamic of sound, capturing their impressive capabilities as a band, all the way from gentle melodic tenderness through to massive intensity. I highly highly recommend to take a moment to immerse into Rêverie.
