Orkhys – “Legends” | Progressive Rock Central.com

French metal band Orkhys, in April 2024, released via their Guardians label; an album about legends. The album, “Legends” features 9 tracks, telling the story of some ancient legends which may be as new to you as they were for me. Each of these tracks and legends pertain to a Celtic or Viking legend.

The album was composed by Brice Druhet, the studio keyboardist, and guitarist. Along with Laurène Telennaria, the band’s author, lyricist, harpist, and lead singer. Orkhys is also composed of additional members: Julien Lancelot on bass; Jean Yves Chateaux on drums; and Henri Genty on guitar. Orkhys included guest performances by: Gwenolé, who plays the bagpipes on “Bae an Anaon” and “The Infernal Kelpie.”

Orkhys was created to share a musical experience full of influences and emotions. When strength meets gentleness, when extreme meets melody. Orkhys is a duality glorified by the enchanting sound of a Celtic harp: an epic softness harmonized in powerful riffs of metal. The lyrics combine tales and legends from ancient times, human introspection, and powerful feelings. Since its creation in 2020, the group has already released 3 CDs and performed numerous concerts and festivals in France and abroad (Cernunnos Pagan Fest, Fertois Metal Fest, Ar Vran Fest, Norhfest, and the Kraken Fest.

And yes, of course they open the album with the title song, “Legends.” It is a short, little over a minute overture full of keyboards and drums. It opens brooding, but later reaches for the stars with excitement. A powerful and excellent opening! And one of the album’s best songs.

The ending of that song flows directly into the next song, “Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni.” The song leaps out like a swashbuckling pirate song, with keyboards, orchestration, guitars, and drums. Then, Laurène Telennaria sings her well-crafted lyrics, “Black eyes full of furor. Reddish mane flowing in the wind. The Queen of the Iceni tribe stands with majesty. Her golden torc shining on her neck. A lance pointing skywards. There’s a time for the fight. For the iron and fire. For the blood, for the screams on battlefields. Living free with no wealth is a far better fate, than a rich, gilded life as a slave. When death came by to claim the king of Iceni.” (Boudicca, also known as Boadicea, was a queen of the Iceni tribe in Britain who led a major uprising against the Roman Empire in 60 or 61 AD. She became a symbol of British resistance and a national heroine due to her fierce leadership). The dramatic way Laurène Telennaria sings, makes this ancient legend stand on its own. She knows how to modulate her voice well, so that her singing does not become monotone. (I heard another version of this story from Imaginaerium, on their “Seige” album, with Laura Piazzai). It is interesting to compare the two songs, set to very different music, and highlights.

“The Scream of the Banshee,” opens with orchestration, keyboards, guitars, and drums. Laurène sings the story of the banshee, “Pale herald of death. A sorceress endowed with foresight. A silhouette with a silvery mane. Banshee is your name. Seen as a nymph or an elderly soul. A grim omen, sullen call of death before battlefields. (The word ‘Banshee’ comes from the old Irish ‘Ben side,” which means ‘Woman of the fairy mound.’ It is said that the Banshee’s scream foretells the passing of someone close to the one who hears her scream). The music and orchestration help this song sound very cinematic. But this is no tale for Disney.

“Deirdre and Bhróin,” is the story of “Deirdre of the Sorrows.” The song is sung in French by Laurène Telennaria. She opens one of the best songs on the album with beautiful, soft harp. Later, the band does add in hammering drums and speedy electric guitar. The story involves (“Deirdre an Bhróin,” a tragic Irish heroine in Irish mythology, particularly known from the Ulster Cycle. Her story begins with a druid prophesy that Deirdre’s beauty will cause the deaths of many men. To prevent the prophecy from coming true, she is raised in isolation. Deirdre falls in love with Naoise, son of Usnech, despite being promised to King Conchobar. Deirdre and Naoise elope to Scotland. They are lured back to Ireland with promises of forgiveness, but Naoise is murdered, and Deirdre is captured by the King. Deirdre’s either dies by suicide or is killed.) It is a tragic story brought to life with wonderful music, led by Laurène Telennaria’s harp playing and her voice.

“The Chained Oak,” is another dark story brought to life with Laurène Telennaria’s voice and lyrics, set within a sharp metal soundscape. Laurène sings, “On a dark and cold night when the owl hoots loud. Where the silvery fog hides the shapes of the trees. High in the sky, rises a full and bright moon. Above a glowing white silhouette.” (The famous story about the tree is the one that is used by Alton Towers in “Hex.” The tale tells that the 15th Earl of Shrewsbury, was riding home to the towers in his carriage in 1821, when an old beggar woman, stopped the Earl, begging for a coin. When she is shunned by the Earl, she curses him, saying that every time a branch fell from the tree, a member of his family would die. Then there was a storm, a branch fell, and a member of the Earl’s family died)). Laurène tells the story with emotion and power. Midway through the song, she engages in a wonderful harp solo that helps make this one of the better songs on the album.

“Bae An Anaon,” is the longest song on the album. It opens with bold bagpipes and electric metal guitar. Laurène plays her harp, and then sings the song, “It’s Bro-Gernev inferno, hell on earth, on the side of the cliff lies the bay of the dead. White as clay, its pale sand made of shattered bones. It roars with the dreadful screams of the drowned. Here dawns the legend, of the City of Ys. Ruled by the wistful Gradlon, and Dahut, his daughter. Every night was sealed with a crime. She strangled a new lover to death and threw him into the Bay.” Yes, a dreadful story, but Laurène’s voice helps bring some calm.

“Draugar,” which is also going to be a dark and ominous song, opens with bright harp playing by Laurène, along with piano and acoustic guitar accompaniment. (Draugar are undead creatures from Norse mythology, appearing in Icelandic sagas and folklore. They are essentially reanimated corpses, often described as dwelling within burial mounds and guarding the treasures buried with them. They can leave their graves to harass or attack the living, particularly at night.) Later, in the song, electric guitars and drums join the soundscape. Laurène sings, “Somber and dismal ghost. With a titanic strength. Giant of the North. Cold and roaming. Corpse with a rotting smell. Seen with steel-blue eyes and a skin as cold as death.” Over four minutes of Halloween – like stories you only want to hear about in October.

“The Dullahan,” (is a type of legendary creature in Irish folklore. He is depicted as a headless rider on a black horse, or as a coachman, who carries his own head.) The song opens with soft acoustic guitars, before the electric guitars and drums burst onto the scene. Laurène sings, “Beheld at sunset, by pagan fetes. A headless rider, on a black horse, Night after night, he rides on the path, craving for a poor and lost soul to send on death’s road.” Yep, dread and ill will prevail here.

“The Infernal Kelpie,” (is a kelpie, with a mythical shape-shifting spirit, inhabiting the lochs in Scottish folklore. Legends of these shape-shifting water-horses, under various names, spread across the British Isles, appearing in the Northern Isles, Irish, Manx, Northern English, and Welsh folklore.) Slow electric guitar opens this song perfectly, before Laurène plays harp, amidst the wonderful orchestration. The speed drums and heavy metal guitars return. But so do those wonderful bagpipes. Then Laurène sings, “Metamorphic spirit. Malevolent creature. Seen as a black horse or in human form. Mesmerizing maiden, or sometimes a comely youth, you hunt your future prey. Gentle as a lamb, you reveal your dark nature. As soon as a mortal climbs on your back. Prancing through the wild fields, you jump into the river and sink your ill-fated rider.” The bagpipes take us out to the end of this finale, brilliantly.

Orkhys’ “Legends” is an interesting mix of myths, legends, and dark metal rock. The bagpipes, and Laurène Telennaria’s harp playing, as well as her vocals make this a party worth attending. Yes, these are some fairly dark legends, but they have been around for a very long time. If you like hearing songs sung about dark legends, then Orkhys’ “Legends” is for you.

Album Track List:

Legends – 1:18
Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni – 4:49
The Scream of the Banshee – 5:19
Deirdre and Bhróin – 5:32
The Chained Oak – 5:36
Bae An Anaon – 7:10
Draugar – 4:48
The Dullahan – 4:55
The Infernal Kelpie – 6:02

Orkhys’ “Legends,” was recorded in the band’s home studio and at Mannaz Records, for the drums. Like previous albums, it was mixed and mastered by Raoul Tchoï. The video clips are by Cécile Delpoïo. The artwork and all the album’s illustrative drawings were created by OBSUUM. The cover features the legends of Boudicca (her torc), The Chained Oak (on the left), the Kelpie (the horse) and the Dullahan (the headless rider).

Band Website and Social Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Orkhysband

https://orkhys.bandcamp.com/album/legends