This Noise Rock/ Sludge Metal trio (currently consisting of bassist/ singer Mathieu, guitarist Sébastien, and another Mathieu on the drums) from the center of France (city of Clermont-Ferrand) was conceived only in late 2005, yet the band already has 5 EPs (three of which split-releases) and now 3 full-lengths to its name!
Already in March of 2007, the band released an untitled 12-inch (vinyl, dudes and dudettes!) through Solar Flare (in collaboration with Arrrgh!), and followed that up with a split 7-inch with Her Breath On Glass in October of the same year (this time on IFB Records). Both releases were promoted by moderate tours (12 gigs in April) on national grounds, as well as through a couple of gigs abroad (among the 14 promotional shows during October to December were 3 German shows, and one each in Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium!). For some reason live activities during 2008 were rather minimal (only 3 shows in the first 4 months) and when they returned to the stages in mid-May 2009, it was to promote a new untitled 12-inch EP (which differs from the debut by having a different cover ànd gatefold sleeve), issued the month before (again on Solar Flare, but in collaboration with 2 other labels). The tour with Stalk saw the band play France, as well as Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Germany on the way back to France. Additional dates in France followed in September, and in late January 2010 the band was again on the road, playing gigs in France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland.
In April 2010 Solar Flare released the band's first full-length and aptly titled release 5 Years Of Freaks (in “Arigato Pak” CD version – no idea what that means!), and in October of the same year the band had another full-length release with Permission To Engage (issued as CD digipak, gatefold double LP, and cassette). A new tour to promote the latter saw the band roam through new European territory, including Hungary, Rumania, Poland, Bulgaria and Slovenia, with added shows in Italy and France on their way back home. To finish that year, the band played a couple more French shows in November, and another couple in Spain during December. Although it took the band another year to release a new album, the trio used the year well, putting in a long weekend in Spain at he end of January, and then starting out on a French tour with Membrane in early February, followed by another short tour with Carne. Some higher profile shows were played supporting Electric Wizard in March, and Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School Of Medicine and Kylesa (twice with the latter, following a previous support a year earlier) during June. During October the guys were off on a headliner tour again, which took 'em through Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and back to France.
Late November 2011 saw the release of a new split 12-inch, this time with Membrane, but even before the release the bands were off touring together again, putting in appearances in mainly French venues (with nevertheless also again a show in Germany, Holland and Belgium). With the start of 2012 again a resting period, up came June, and a new (shorter) Eurotour with Membrane, which again brought the bands to Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Luxembourg.
Then, a short rest again, but only in preparation for something really big, as in mid October the trio travels to Brooklyn, New York's Translator Audio studio, where hurricane Sandy destroys both the studio and the band's gear on October 29. After hanging around in New York like 3 french hobos for a couple of days [and apparently much thanks to the help of Dave Curran (bassist with Unsane and Pigs) and the perseverance of their producer Andrew Schneider (worked with Unsane, Keelhaul, Converge, and more...)], they head into the Seaside Lounge of the Spaceman Sound studio, where they spend 3 weeks recording their new album. Straight after those sessions, the band head out on an American tour, starting off with some dates in the North-East of the US (NY, MA, PA and NJ). After half a week they meet up with Uncle Touchy for some shows in the South-East (TN, GA, AL - a couple of days earlier, US label No List Records had released a split 7-inch with the bands in a very limited 500-copy edition), and after that they hung onto the band Biipiiwan, for further shows up the East Coast (NC, VA, DC, PA and NY again). In early 2013 (late Feb. - early march), the band already put in yet another mini-tour, this time with Them Frequencies. Countries visited were Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia.
Which brings me full-circle to my first sentence of this review, and the genre of music Sofy Major brings forth. On the one hand, when the band plays in their heavier mode (which is most of the time), you get a somewhat angular Sludge Metal with Rock sensibilities, and changing paces (some songs being slower than the others). On the other hand, the band occasionally goes in chill-out mode (check track N°5, the 2:04 “Umpek Pt.1”, which is essentially an intro to the ensuing, and only slightly more energetic “Umpak Pt.2”...or at least, so it seems at the beginning of the second track, because after one third of the song the energy comes swooping down like a shot of adrenalin). Ach well, a diverse album in any case, and one which spell-bounded me throughout the 7 or 8 listening sessions I was able to give it! Therefore deserving of my utter appreciation rating, and nomination into that “Best Albums Of 2013”-list of mine! I, for one, am looking out with anticipation for the next release by this band!
For your introduction to the band's music, check the “releases” section on the band's own (www.) sofymajor.com (excerpts from almost each release, and also a couple of videos), or log onto (www.) myspace.com/sofymajor for a total of 18 songs to be listened to! Oh, before I forget, Dave Curran contributed vocals to the album's song “Steven The Slow”. And, in the States the album is released through No List Records. The album is released in limited edition Boxset digipak CD, on vinyl, and in cassette forms!