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First Fragment was founded in 2007 by Phil Tougas (Chthe'ilist, Atramentus, Funebrarum) & brothers Gabriel Brault-Pilon and David AB.
From day one, the trio sought to create a brand of extreme technical death metal that combined counterpoint-based riffing, neoclassical lead guitar work, power metal-inspired passages as well as flamenco & swing sections in a desire to branch out and establish their own unique voice in the Quebec scene.
Their critically-acclaimed 2016 debut album "Dasein", released through Unique Leader, built upon the foundation established with the band's notorious EP "The Afterthought Ecstasy", self-released in 2010, Dasein was the culmination of almost 10 years of hard work and dedication to their craft.
First Fragment have since honed their craft and perfected their sound through expanding upon their extensive musical influences, further blurring the line between flamenco-inspired technical death metal and neoclassical power metal.
The result is "Gloire Éternelle" - an ambitious conceptual album that is unmistakably First Fragment, yet at the same time, impossible to categorize and pigeonhole. Boasting baroque-influenced guitar counterpoint, flamenco sections, unique slap-bass-driven swing grooves (which the band trademarked by name as "swingdowns"), face-ripping lead guitar work and bombastic drumming.
Add a highly aggressive dual vocal approach and a lyrical approach soaked in abstract poetry (sung all in french), sprinkle with a ton of fretless bass solos and the result is the ultimate shredfest.
A word which may be perceived positively or negatively depending of the listener, but nevertheless, a shredfest with soul, memorability, identity, purpose and conviction.
For fans of : Yngwie Malmsteen, Cacophony, Racer X, Spawn of Possession, Capharnaum, Theory In Practice & Necrophagist
credits
released October 29, 2021
David AB - Lead & backing vocals (mids, highs, yells)
Phil Tougas - Lead, rhythm & classical guitars, backing vocals (lows, highs, gurgles, yells), keyboards, effects, intros, additional percussions
Nick “Thriller” Miller - Lead & rhythm guitars
Dominic “Forest” Lapointe - Fretless lead bass
Nicholas “Le Fou” Wells - Drums. percussions & additional back vocals (yells, falsettos)
Additional musicians :
Vincent Savary (Ex-First Fragment) - 2nd bass solo in In’el
Steven Henry - Additional back vocals in In’el
David AB, Phil Tougas, Nicholas Wells & Steven Henry - Warchoir
Production credits :
Phil Tougas - Producer, Recording/Engineering (vocals, guitars), additional editing (drums) at Stygian Studios (Longueuil)
Hugues Deslauriers - Mixing, Re-amping (Guitars, Bass) at Roarrr Sound Studios (Montreal)
Mathieu Marcotte - Mastering at Humanoise Studios (Montreal)
Chris Donaldson - Recording/engineering (drums, bass) at The Grid (Montreal)
Jonathan Mazzeo - Assistant engineering (drums, bass) at The Grid (Europe)
Pierre Tougas - Additional engineering
Andrew Allstone - Additional engineering
Marc Roy - Additional engineering
Adam Burke/Nightjar Illustration - Album cover art
Chimère Noire - Layout, additional artwork
Charles Benoit - Logo
All lyrics and concepts by David AB
All songs composed by Phil Tougas except : 6 by Phil Tougas / Gabriel Brault-Pilon, 7-8 by Brault-Pilon / Tougas
All arrangements by Tougas, Forest, Wells, Miller, Brault-Pilon
Gloire Éternelle was composed between 2006-2021 & recorded between February 2020-February 2021
supported by 584 fans who also own “Gloire Éternelle”
First WTF was google music actually throwing something good into my feed.
Second WTF was everything every goddamn member of this band does. This and the previous album have been on repeat for weeks. All other music tastes like diet water. Help. Gruso
supported by 378 fans who also own “Gloire Éternelle”
Archspire is wholly unique for their ability to write music that is this insanely technical, but also actually catchy and memorable. Absolutely one-of-a-kind band. Kadin Wisniewski