Sortilège - Le Poids De L'Âme - review
Sortilège - Le Poids De L'Âme - review
Tracklist
01. Medusa02. Cœurs D'Acier
03. Colère
04. Le Poids De L'Âme
05. Origines
06. L'Alchimiste
07. La Forge Divine
08. Sans Foi Ni Loi
09. Horizons
10. Le Monde De L'Oubli
A review by
AndyMetalFreak December 09, 2025
Sortilège formed back in 1981 in the early days of metal, and despite their relatively unknown presence in the wider metal world, they managed to develop somewhat of a cult following in the French heavy metal scene. However, their career looked like it was destined to be a short-lived one, as only 5 years after their formation they unfortunately disbanded. However, a staggering 33 years later they made a miraculous return, and just like a phoenix rising from the ashes (which the band uses as their emblem) they unleashed their third full-length offering Apocalypso in 2023. Now two years on, they carry on righ where left off with their latest album Le Poids De L'Âme.
Sortilège have had many setbacks over the years, and they've had to undergo a very recent one with the passing of Ramos earlier this year. A devastating instance such as this has the potential to completely derail a band, but Sortilège have remained resilient, finding the strength to overcome their grief and honour the passing of their former guitarist. Keeping the flame burning strong, they incorporated a new lead guitarist in Michaël Zurita, who honours Ramos's legacy in the best way possible. Le Poids De L'Âme is a fitting tribute not only to the loss of Ramos but also as a reflection on the band's resilience over the years, and so they can proudly display their symbol. The album title, "Le Poids De L'Âme" (French for "The Weight Of The Soul") also sends an emotionally fitting message, one that expresses the transformation of mourning and grief into rebirth through high-quality traditional heavy metal.
The most striking factor that stands out straight away upon listening is the album's rapid tempo and punchy sound. This indicates a step up in production; the tone is a lot more powerful, the elements are more clear, refined, and prominent, and they've also upped the energy and ferocity in their performance. Although their style is still primarily rooted in traditional 80s-style heavy metal, a healthy dose of modern power metal has also been injected, particularly during the catchy arena anthem choruses, which founding frontman Christian "Zouille" Augustin still bellows out with exceptional range and no shortage of passion. He is still the beating heart of the band, and is as good of a performer now as he was over 4 decades ago.
The album's high-octane energy pulsates through a rampant rhythm section that rarely lets off steam at any point, while the guitar work typically consists of traditional heavy riffs containing an abundance of memorable hooks and melodies, which are accompanied by plenty of delicious soaring leads. The closing ballad-like song "Le Monde De L'Oubli" climaxes with the best solo of all, before then rounding out the album with a short pleasant piano piece. Songs such as "Le Poids De L'Âme" and "La Forge Divine" match the album's cover art loosely based on Ancient Egypt, containing Middle Eastern melodies similar to, and perhaps inspired by, Dio's "Egypt (The Chains Are On)", Rainbow's "Gates Of Babylon", and Iron Maiden's "Powerslave". The album is highly consistent, and although some tracks might stand out over others, there is no genuine reason to skip any of them.
The French heavy metal scene might not be the most famous or globally impactful compared with other scenes, but the contributions of Sortilège to the genre shouldn't go ignored. Not only did they have a key role in helping put French metal on the map, they also made one of the most staggering comebacks in metal history, and where many other bands who formed around that time have now disbanded, they're still continuing to live up to their legacy, wih Le Poids De L'Âme clear proof of that. As so many years have passed by, line-up changes are inevitable, but with Augustin still at the helm alongside a fresh younger generation of highly ambitious heavy metallers, they have managed to keep the old-school fiery edge and heavy metal spirit alive, and the polished modern production and impressive songwriting mean they've perhaps returned stronger than they were even before their hiatus.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 6 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 09.12.2025 by
Written on 09.12.2025 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
Comments:
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Posts: 64451
If this band would have points as walue they would eon leuge, cup and super cup. Most know french heavy metal band,and k agree might indpire other french bands to re unite what briko up in 80s.
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