I recently spoke to a friend with whom I have attended numerous concerts when we went to university together more than half a decade ago. We spoke about the great times we have had and then my friend asked me if I remembered the worst group we had ever seen live. I remembered indeed. The band's sound had been so terrible that we had left the venue and had preferred to talk outside with temperatures as low as minus ten degrees. We were not the only ones as at least a third of the quite modest crowd had run away from the dreadfully engineered, extremely loud and laughably simplistic extreme metal band. I couldn't remember the name of the band because it had been even more generic than its sound. My friend recalled the band's name was Morgue. No wonder I didn't recall that name as there are fifteen other groups with the exact same name and another thirty-three with different variations. My friend and I thought it might be interesting to check out whether the band that has been the worst we have ever seen in concert was still around and making music. This is the case indeed, so out of masochistic curiosity, I gave Morgue's last record Vers la potence a shot.

To my surprise, this album doesn't suck. It's not a masterpiece by any means but actually quite good. Which makes me think the band either had a very bad day back then or the sound engineer had ruined everything about its performance. Morgue offers a gloomy combination of sinister black metal with a few death metal stylistics. While numerous songs on Vers la potence sound somewhat exchangeable, there are also several tracks where the band diversified its approaches successfully and tried out something fresh.

''God Abort'' is much slower than the other tracks for instance which gives it a very haunting and sinister note. The track almost recalls funeral doom metal elements and is best enjoyed in an isolated dark room. Album closer ''Le chant des partisans'' mixes a melodic military march with apocalyptic extreme metal soundscapes which makes for a nearly cinematic and epic folk-inspired experience. My favorite track is however the dynamic ''Face à l'enfer'' where the band shows its surprisingly skilled musicianship. The track is filled with clever and dynamic rhythm changes that carry the song over an ambitious length above six minutes. The unchained and nearly devilish vocals work best here and are truly haunting. This track could be used for any horror movie and would always blend in perfectly.

The production of the record is raw but not amateurish as each instrument is audible. Even in that category, Morgue has made several steps forward as this record has a fluid pace and is enjoyable to listen from start to finish.

To keep it short, Morgue's Vers la potence is a quite positive surprise with three extraordinary tracks among several standards black metal tracks with a few death metal sytlistics. The band seems to have improved a lot over the past years and isn't comparable to the concert I attended six and a half years ago. Musicianship, production and songwriting have improved notably. I would even give the band a second chance and attend one of its concerts these days. This album isn't revolutionary by any means but highly recommended to fans of extreme metal with a sinister atmosphere.

Final rating: 66%

Since I have read many positive reviews about Gygax' 2nd Edition, I decided to give the band a second chance despite its formulaic, lackluster and uninspired first release. To my very positive surprise, this album is a massive step in the right direction and underlines that this year is a great one for hard rock and heavy metal after the releases of White Wizzard, Anvil and Judas Priest to only name a few examples. Gygax' sound remains rooted in the hard rock scene of the seventies and recalls bands like Thin Lizzy. However, the band sounds much more playful, melodic and diversified here than on the disappointing predecessor.

The dynamic opener ''Dice Throwers & Rock n' Rollers'' is already a vivid hard rock song with many playful elements such as the addictive guitar melodies and the dominant bass guitar sound. The lyrics define the spirit of the band and make this song an authentic anthem. ''The Lascivious Underdark'' goes one step further and is so dynamic and playful that it has nearly danceable vibes and rhythms. This should be played in any rock or metal pub around the world as it would be a great addition to any playlist for spending a great night with other rock and metal fans. ''Song of the Silverhands'' on the other side has almost jazzy vibes and a very enthusiastic guitar play that could also please fans of genres such as blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll as well as rhythm and blues. Gygax even manages to surprise genuinely with the much calmer and progressive ''Wish'' that could come from an early Black Sabbath record or the floating ''Meddle'' with its relaxed lounge atmosphere recalling early Pink Floyd.

If you like rock music of the seventies, you can't get around Gygax' 2nd Edition. Not everything is perfect here since the vocals could be more charismatic and a running time of just above half an hour isn't really value for money by any standards. But musically, this balanced, dynamic and enthusiastic album is enjoyable to listen to from start to finish and a great record for a rock party with your friends. Crank it up!

Final rating: 80%

My favorite band has released a new single! It's amazing! Check it out!

Ladies and gentlemen!

Here are some pictures of my visit of the Diefenbunker in Carp, a suburb of Ottawa. The four-story bunker was built between 1959 and 1962 to protect the members of the Canadian government in the event of a nuclear war. After the decline of the Cold War, the use of the bunker was discontinued in 1994 and it became a museum. I visited it with a good friend of mine last Saturday.

 Jean-Daniel at the entrance

 Ticket shop

 Exhibition about the Cold War in Berlin

 Jean-Daniel in a kitchen

 Men's dorm

 Jean-Daniel in the pantry at the lowest level of the bunker

 Vault of the Canadian Bank

 Studio of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

 The Prime Minister's ''Suite''

 Tunnel connecting the bunker to the outside world