Sortilège

Formed in Paris in 1981, Sortilège quickly established itself in the French heavy metal scene with a repertoire sung in French, built on sharp riffs, dark melodies and a highly expressive voice delivered by Christian Augustin, known as Zouille. Initially active under the name Bloodwave, Sortilège honed its stage presence in the early 1980s and played support dates for Def Leppard in France before recording the Sortilège EP in 1983 and the album Métamorphose in 1984. The group continued in a classic heavy metal vein — taut and melodic — with Larmes de héros in 1986, recorded in Germany like its predecessor. After splitting up that same year, Sortilège remained absent for more than three decades before reuniting in 2019, first for live shows and later with a new lineup led by Zouille. This revival produced Phoenix in 2021, mainly consisting of new versions of older tracks, and Apocalypso in 2023, the band’s first album of original compositions since the 1980s. Straddling the heritage of European metal and a francophone anchoring, Sortilège retains a distinct identity marked by a balance of rhythmic power, clear guitar lines and incisive choruses.