Celebrating Quebec's Magnificent History, Language and Society - A Review of Anonymus' Métal canadien-français

Anonymus is without a doubt Quebec's most prolific metal band in terms of consistency, imagination and quality along with progressive thrash metal legends Voivod. Anonymus have been around since the late nineties and Métal canadien-français is the quintet's twelfth studio record. The thrash metal group has recorded albums in English, French and Spanish and the return of outspoken separatist singer Serge Robert means that the current record features almost exclusively French lyrics.

His return also means that many lyrics have a comedic tone and make for quite an enjoyable ride. He mocks bland tribute bands, makes fun of people who have negative perceptions of metal music and even tells us the story of the remarkable Good Friday Massacre when Quebec's National Hockey League teams Quebec Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens resorted to massive violence.

Musically, this release offers a decent mixture of traditional heavy metal and restrained thrash metal supported by an organic production. The lyrics are the main focus of this record and the musicianship rarely takes the lead. However, this album features some excellent melodic guitar solos performed by Daniel Souto and Jean-François Fortin that offer welcome breaks from the lyrical content and showcase the musicians' extraordinary talent.

At the end of the day, Anonymus' Métal canadien-français is a highlight for any metal music fan from Quebec and anyone interested in Quebec's magnificent culture. The lyrics are excellent throughout, the musicianship has its shining moments and the entertainment factor is very elevated here.

Final Rating: 80%