Eths (variably stylized as eths and ETHS) was a French metal band from Marseille, formed in 1996.[1]

Eths
Eths performing at the Motocultor Festival 2012
Background information
OriginMarseille, France
Genres
Years active
  • 1996–1997 (as What's the Fuck)
  • 1997–1999 (as Melting Point)
  • 1999–2016, 2017, 2023
LabelsSeason of Mist
Past members
  • Stéphane "Staif" Bihl
  • Marc "Roswell" Burghoffer
  • Candice Clot
  • Guillaume "Yom" Dupré
  • Grégory "Greg" Rouvière
  • Damien Rivoal
  • Rachel Aspe
  • R.U.L.
Websiteeths.net

History

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Eths formed in 1996 under the name What's the Fuck, with a lineup consisting of vocalist-guitarist Stéphane Bihl and guitarist Grégory Rouvière.[2][3] The following year, Candice Clot, the best friend of Bihl's ex-girlfriend, joined the group as a lead vocalist, and the band was renamed Melting Point.[4][5]

Through 1999, drummer Guillaume Dupré and bassist Marc Burghoffer were added to the lineup, and together they formed Eths.[6][7] That same year they released a first demo titled Eths, containing "Encore" and "Rien à Dire".[8][9] The band also appeared on a CD compilation titled Attentat Sonore.[10]

The band was part of Coriace, a small collective bringing together metal bands representing southeast France.[11]

In 2000, Eths released a seven-track EP titled Autopsie.[12]

On 14 November 2001, Eths was the opening act for Machine Head at L'Usine in Istres.[13][14] The band featured on two CD compilations, Boukan and A Core Et à Cri.[10]

In March 2002, Eths made a television appearance at Rock Press Club's Canal Jimmy, performing "Samantha" and "Dévore".[15] In September 2002, the band released a second EP titled Samantha and gained acclaim in the French extreme metal circuit.[7]

On 11 October 2004, Eths released its first full-length album, Soma, and launched a 120-date national concert tour.[16][7] That year, Clot, aged twenty three, who sang exclusively in her native language, said that she wrote "about things that scare me, that disgust me, about what I have inside of me".[17]

In 2006, the group announced the departure of both Dupré and Burghoffer.[5] As a result, the drumming on Eths' 2007 album Tératologie was performed by Pierre Belleville, then the drummer for Lofofora.[18] Dupré returned to the band in 2011.[9] Through constant touring, Soma would go on to sell over 25,000 copies.[9]

Considered "very popular in part of the youth" in France, Eths was often featured on the covers of Hard 'n' Heavy, Rock One, Rock Mag, and Rock Sound magazines.[11]

On 18 September 2012, frontwoman Candice Clot left the band.[19] Virginie Goncalves of Kells and Nelly Wood replaced Clot as temporary touring vocalists.[20]

In 2013, the group announced Rachel Aspe as their new lead vocalist.[21] In the same month, an injury led Rouvière to depart the band.[22]

On 30 November 2016, the band notified the public of their breakup via a Facebook post and announced their last concert in Angers on 3 December 2016.[20]

The original lineup of Bihl, Clot, Rouvière, Dupré, and Burghoffer reunited to play two final concerts, which took place at Le Moulin in Marseille and Le Trianon in Paris, on 8 April 2017, and 30 April 2017, respectively.[20][23] The two concerts were also a posthumous homage to the band's friends, Mika Bleu and Julien Isilion.[23][20]

On 15 December 2022, the official Eths Facebook page was updated with the status "Eths 2023". Shortly after, the band was confirmed to perform at Hellfest in June 2023.[24]

Musical style and influences

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Eths cited as influences Meshuggah, Tool, Gojira,[25] Korn, Sepultura,[13] and Metallica. They also appreciated electro, hip hop and jazz.[26] Clot cited alternative rock band Hole as an early influence.[27] Clot had no female voices as references but respected the work of My Ruin's Tairrie B.[28] Aspe said her early influences include Slipknot and Walls Of Jericho, bands that made her discover "her vocal range while growling".[4]

Eths' musical style was described as metalcore,[29] groove metal,[30] and nu metal.[1] La Dépêche du Midi described the band as "Practising a neo-metal imbued with black [metal] and unscrupulously favouring a slight tendency for death metal."[31] Metal Hammer called the band "dark tech-metal".[4]

Author Jérôme Alberola[32] wrote that Autopsie, Samantha and Soma displayed "gothic-tinged death metal" featuring blast beats that directed the band's musical aggression towards "the deathcore subgenre".[33] Heavy metal magazine Hard Force labelled Soma as alternative metal,[34] Tératologie and Ankaa as death metal,[35][36] and III as metalcore.[37]

Bihl stated the band liked to mix styles because they tended to get weary.[27] Clot emphasised, "We do metal, because it brings together all our influences, and we all like different things, without labels."[17]

Clot was the primary lyricist, but Bihl and Dupré also took part.[13][31]

Members

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Timeline

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Discography

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Studio albums
Year Title Label
2004 Soma Sriracha Records, Coriace Management
2007 Tératologie Coriace Management
2012 III Seasons of Mist
2016 Ankaa Seasons of Mist
2017 The Best of Eths -
EPs & Demos

As Melting Point

Year Title Label
1998 Melting Point -

As Eths

Year Title Label
1999 Eths -
2000 Autopsie Musicast
2002 Samantha Coriace Management
2004 Autopsie|Samantha Sriracha Records
2014 Ex Umbra In Solem Seasons of Mist
Reissues
Year Title Label
2003 Autopsie Coriace Management
2012 Soma Seasons of Mist
2012 Autopsie|Samantha Coriace Management

References

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  1. ^ a b True, Chris. "Eths | Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Eths most brutal band from France (Interview)". Metalhead Spotted. December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  3. ^ Marie (10 November 2001). "Rencontre avec Candice (Interview)" [Meeting with Candice]. French Metal Familia (in French). Marignane. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "New Noise: Eths". Metal Hammer. 26 April 2016. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b «Biography» French-Metal
  6. ^ "Présentation de Eths". All For Music (Database) (in French). n.d. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Eths en tournée française au printemps 2012" [Eths on French tour in spring 2012]. Ouï FM (in French). 8 March 2012. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Eths, playlist de 2 pistes". All For Music (Database) (in French). n.d. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Hervé (14 January 2009). "Eths". Encyclopédie du Rock (in French). Rock Made in France. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Eths". Info Concert (in French). n.d. Retrieved 10 May 2021. See: Présentation
  11. ^ a b P.C. (8 February 2008). "Eths, fer de lance de la scène metal française" [Eths, spearhead of the French metal scene]. Le Parisien (in French). Beauvais. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Eths, playlist de 7 pistes". All For Music (Database) (in French). n.d. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Cambray, Eric (26 January 2002). "Interview de Eths le 26/01/02 - Montpellier (Victoire 2)" [Interview with Eths on 01/26/02 - Montpellier (Victoire 2)]. Metalorgie (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  14. ^ Olivier (2001). "Eths + Machine Head: Novembre 14, 2001, Istres, L'Usine". French Metal Familia (in French). Bouches-du-Rhône. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  15. ^ Eths (2002). Eths − Samantha live (Television production). Paris: Jimmy (TV channel). x2egv2. Retrieved 10 May 2021 – via Dailymotion.
  16. ^ Bagot, Pascal (17 February 2006). "Le métal à la française − Les univers de Eths et Gojira" [Metal in a French way − The universes of Eths and Gojira]. Radio France Internationale (in French). Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  17. ^ a b Lecaudey, Martine (15 December 2004). "Candice ou la voix en métal de Eths" [Candice or the metal voice of Eths]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). Toulouse. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  18. ^ Hervé (11 January 2009). "Lofofora". Encyclopédie du Rock (in French). Rock Made in France. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  19. ^ «Eths Singer Quits» Archived 5 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine Blabbermouth
  20. ^ a b c d Faure, Laurence (23 December 2016). "Eths: Deux concerts d'adieu avec Candice" [Eths: Two farewell concerts with Candice]. Hard Force magazine (in French). Paris. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  21. ^ Eths Pick Talent Show Star As New Singer Archived 6 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Metal Hammer 3 April 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  22. ^ «Eths Guitarist Quits» Blabbermouth
  23. ^ a b Meurot, Julien (2017). "Eths: La fin d'une épopée" [The end of an epic tale]. Metal Obs' magazine (in French). Niort: H.I.M. Media. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  24. ^ Childers, Chad (15 December 2022). "Hellfest Announces 179 Bands for 2023 Lineup − Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Motley Crue + More". Loudwire. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  25. ^ Néo (14 September 2004). "Eths". Interview. French Metal (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  26. ^ Didier; Florent V (20 December 2008). "Interview". Aux Portes Du Metal (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  27. ^ a b Kandra (24 September 2004). "ETHS (FRA) - Candice et Staif (Sept-2004)". Interview. Metal Impact (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  28. ^ Ilaria Rossi, Roberta (20 September 2012). "Interview: Candice Clot". Femme Metal Webzine. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Eths: 'Harmaguedon' Video Featuring New Singer Rachel Aspe". Blabbermouth.net. 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  30. ^ Enis, Eli (7 May 2021). "Hear TesseracT and Eths Members Rage in New Hardcore Supergroup Cage Fight". Revolver. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Rendez-vous métal ce soir" [Metal rendezvous tonight]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 30 April 2003. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  32. ^ Guedj, Philippe (22 November 2017). "Un bon coup de headbang" [A good shot of headbang]. Le Point (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  33. ^ Alberola, Jérôme (2012). Camion Blanc: Les Belles et les Bêtes Anthologie du rock au féminin, de la soul au métal [White truck: Beauties and the Beasts - Anthology of female rock, from soul to metal] (in French). Éditions du Camion blanc. ISBN 978-2-3577-9574-7. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023.
  34. ^ "Eths: Soma". Hard Force Magazine (in French). Paris. n.d. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  35. ^ "Eths: Tératologie". Hard Force Magazine (in French). Paris. n.d. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  36. ^ "Eths: Ankaa". Hard Force Magazine (in French). Paris. n.d. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  37. ^ "Eths: III". Hard Force Magazine (in French). Paris. n.d. OCLC 32640105. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
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