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Alternative Metal

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Biography

Fearless membrane of the Reunion Island metal landscape, Vacuum Road takes us, windows closed, to a whimsical gravity fuelled universe. Catchy riffs, heartbreaking yet detached voice, that the band wears powerful music with strong emotions with no com-plex.

With a more moderate anger than usual in Metal music, and more melodies and harmonic constructions, their music overcomes the clichés of Metal, while keeping its intensity. The vocals pass on the strongest emotions, through singular accents. It’s fragile, but also screaming and distorted.

Formed 10 years ago around Yann, the guitarist and Thomas the singer, the line-up changed frequently, before settling down in 2014.In January 2016, the band released a music video “The Sandlords”, directed by Mickael Gresset, a song from their album re-leased in April 2016, under the “Labelistic” label: called “Rear Views”. In 2017, they released a new EP called «Madness is the new Bliss». The disc includes a cover from French singer Alain Bashung «La nuit je mens»

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The band is currently composed of

- Yann CADET - Guitar - Thomas LIM-SU-KWAI - Vocals- Raphaël JEAN-BAPTISTE - Bass

- Laurent BENARD - Drums

CONTACT

Thomas : thomas.limsukwai@gmail.com - +262 692 38 07 77 Yann : iackiian@gmail.com - +262 692 12 75 34

The band is represented by Frédéric Hoarau : studiotic974@gmail.com - +262 692 10 50 45

LINE-UP

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Press

10 march 2016 – 7:30 PM Le Mag – Antenne ReunionThe band announces the release of the album and the music video

Who said that Heavy Metal couldn’t be smooth and melodic ? Vacuum Road has been deve-loping a cloudy mood where emotions grow during long progressive compositions, but stays rooted in the musical identity of big Metal bands, with double bass drums and lyrical dis-tortion. An unusual mix, similar to an explosion recorded in slow motion.

L’Azenda -113 - March 2016

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Vacuum Road is a band from Reunion Island and offers the real touch of originality tonight. They play a quite unexpected music for an opening

of Tagada Jones, but their set and their alternative metal clearly pleased the crowd (and also and more importantly) us. The singer is especially

charismatic and talented and the musicians excellent. In conclusion, don’t hesitate to give this promising band a try.

LIVE REPORT 08/09/17 Tagada Jones + Vacuum Road + Ulster Page au Mars d’Angoulème - Chaiyoursound.com

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Le Quotidien - 08/05/16

In Vacuum Road’s rear view mirror.

The alternative metal band Vacuum Road releases their debut album “ Rear Views”. An art piece as original as this band, who’s known multiple evolutions.

10 years, it’s the time that Vacuum Road, alternative metal band, took to release their debut album called “ Rear Views”. During a whole decade the band’s compositions changed quite a lot of times. Va-cuum Road is by the way not the bands birthname. Back then, the band was called Hurricane and was just an amateur musicians as-sembly who just had tons of fun covering song from Metallica,Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and so on... Barely 2 years later, the core of the band, Yann and Thomas, tried to compose. Va-cuum Road’s DNA progressively took form, despite the numerous changes. They changed drummer many times, often because they left the island to go to France. It’s the case of Emilie, who recorded the drum parts of the album, but gave her place to Zombie, the current drummer.“Emotional print” If “Rear View” only releases ten years later, it’s also because the quartet Yann, Tho-mas, Zombie and Raphaël are a bit perfectionist. “ Our compositions are quite complex, very rich in terms of sonorities, justifies Yann Cadet the guitarist. Those are songs we’ll be playing for multiple years, so it’s natural to put a lot of work on composition.” It is Yann who’s in charge of composition. Working in informatics, his computer is also his principal tool in music. He experiments, tries all the possible notes, adjusts... “You can do whatever you

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want on a computer”, he says.Thomas vocals then add to the ensemble like another instrument helping those “Emotio-nal prints “ that they want to leave in their path.” That’s why the lyrics allow everyone to have their own interpretation. As enigmatic as the lyrics : the music video for the first track of the album, “ The Sandlords”, is directed by Mickaël Gresset. The musicians launched a crowd-funding cam-paign to finance it. “It was three very intense shooting days”, remembers Yann.

Seven to ten minutes.

This schizophrenia, is the identity of Vacuum Road today. We understand, during the listening of the nine titles composing “ Rear Views”, (including some that are seven to ten minutes long), that the musicians decided to build a very vast universe where every liste-ner is invited to loose himself inside it... only to finally find himself. “The advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray” wrote Oscar Wilde.They ended up finding they own place in the local music scene. The band will be on stage on the 28th of May at Tsara Bay, in Cambaie, along side Planck and Riske Zéro. “Our dream, would be to become pros, of course, tells the guitarist, but we’re grounded, we know it’s very complicated.”For now, the band is waiting for the reaction of people towards their first album and will be doing many many shows to “sound out the audience.”“We ‘re allowed many things during compositions, underlines the guitarist, such as multi-ple guitar tracks or even some strings part, that we can not interpret live”. Vacuum Road is also the promise to give chills and emotions that will only be available live.

G.G.“Rear View” out mid-April under the Labelistic label. 12 € .

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«Vacuum Road, c’est un style très particulier, qui se moque bien des formats puisqu’on n’hésite pas à étirer les morceaux aussi longtemps qu’il le faut. C’est un style qui ne s’apprivoise pas facilement et qui requiert de l’attention. Ce n’est pas de la pop facile calibrée radio, ce n’est clairement pas fait pour l’auditeur pressé. Ce n’est pas du metal, il y a beau temps que l’on a quitté les sphères tant du hard que de l’indie rock, c’est parfois pla-nant mais ça reste toujours très électrifié. Ça creuse. C’est dense. Un groupe réellement à part.» Ibuso Metallistic -23/09/2015

“Vacuum Road, is a very specific kind of music, who could not care less about formats. They do not mind stretching songs as long as neces-sary. It’s a style that’s hard to tame and that requires attention. It is not some easy listening radio pop song, it is clearly not for the hurried listener. It’s not Metal, we left the spheres of both hard or indie rock, it’s sometimes airy but always electrified. It digs. It’s dense. A truly specific band.” Ibuso Metallistic -23/09/2015

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It's on the ashes of Hurrycane, an exclu-sively metal cover band, that Vacuum Road emerged in 2005 in Saint-Denis. Yann the guitarist and Thomas the singer absolutely despise void. Their idea? Explore musical landscapes where nobody has never set foot before on Reunion Island. To hell, with thrash, metalcore, neo and so on... They want to play the music that's pleasing to their ears. And that's what they do by chan-ging the line-up around the initial core (Gui-tar/Vocals). Vacuum Road has watered their Metal to put everything on that melodic strength, the atmospheric power of their compositions that takes the time to show themselves around a dramatically sounding voice. We can guess they come from Tool and Deftones along side with Katatonia, Chevelle, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Rishloo... Vacuum Road sees itself in a post-neo-metal that blows hot and cold. They scream their independence by being the most serious of amateurs.

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Vacuum Road, vaporous MetalAfter ten active years, Vacuum Road releases its first album, The band sets its path between rock and progressive metal looking forward to a surprising musical universe. Live at TsaraB the 28th of May

Everything started as a little Metal Cover Band in the south of Reunion Island. Fifteen years later, Vacuum road draws it's first album, a project that took quite some time. “They're not short tracks, says Yann Cadet the guitarist and composer of most of the songs. So I really prefer taking the time to work on them.” Indeed with 7 minutes for some tracks, the listener has the time to enjoy them. To present this first album, Vacuum Road will be live the 28th of May at Tsara B in Saint Paul, with Planck and Riske Zéro. “ We play a music that could be a theater piece, explains Yann. It's not dancing, the goal is to get the spectators to enter a uni-verse.”

Abstract art to empty yourselves ?

In ten years, the face of Vacuum Road changed. Some members left, others are not that far away, such as Emilie who went to France, but is still on the album. The core of the machine, Yann and Thomas keep everything running. Yann starts composing the tracks by himself, with a specific software that allows him to put his ideas in partitions. “I really prefer this system to a simple recording, as it allows me to compose songs I am not technically able to play yet”, explains the guitarist. Yann's icon is Brian May Queen's guitar player. He likes him better than “shredders” those guitarists who are fond of speed and technicality. On the melodies, Thomas puts his lyrics, but the voice is used as an instrument more than anything, whether it's sung or screamed. “He always keeps a mystery behind the meaning of his lyrics”, explains Yann. Don’t come for the politically engaged lyrics, his words are fully in english and deep into surrealism. Surrealist in video too. The band got itself a music video directed by Mickaël Gresset and available on Youtube (The faints of heart may restrain) In this video, we find the airy and refined atmosphere of the band. Zen Metal ? The recording of the album was also a good occasion to especially work on sound, with some guitars being recorded on multiple tracks to create a volume in space. The band even took the liberty to add in some strings. On stage, the tone is different. For now, the band tries to play a gig per month, waiting their tour next year. “We dream of becoming professionals and to live off of our music, tells Yann, but let's keep our head on our shoulders, it's not easy for anyone.” Why a CD? Because the 90's generation could not live without this format. It's also available at Studio Tic in Saint Denis.

Nicolas BONIN

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Chronique de l’album Rear Views - Music Waves - Septembre 2016 “For a first album, “Rear Views” is incredibly mature. Vacuum Road from Reunion Island introduces us with a first and brilliant alter-native metal production with a truly strong emotional potential. Behind this intriguing name lies a 4 men band from Reunion Island that has been touring around the island for multiple years. Vacuum Road released its first album early 2016 and is already wanting to carry its alternative rock outside of their home-land. The 4 young musicians have done everything possible to assure themselves a good enough visibility to catch French and foreign media attention.

Moving between alternative metal et at-mospheric rock, Vacuum Road has a large musical spectrum. The track opening the album is the “poppest” song of this “Rear Views”.

“The Sandlords” is the song they chose to put in video. With the help of director Mickael Gresset, they delive-red a very aesthetically pleasing music video. But the slow mood of the beginning and the lack of expressive vocals might not serve them well and make up for a surprising choice, when we know what follows.And what follows is way more delightful, as Vacuum Road shows us its personality on the two next following tracks, first with Futurism with its dark tones, and shredding riffs, amplified by the screams of Thomas. Then “Water And Gravity” stings our curiosity with its 10 minutes of atmospheric rock/metal made of rhythmic changes and dreadful vocals, glum mood and heavy riffs. The listener is taken into a rare emotional flow in the long final instrumental part or in those rage inducing choruses.

It’s hard to put the Reunion’s band’s music in a box as it uses different aspects of Metal music. Often com-pared to bands such as Tool or Archive for its alternative side and its very expressive vocals similar to M. J. Keenan (the comparison is especially clear “Nature Hates a Vacuum”) the band’s personality is apparent on each track and gives them an undeniable authenticity. The different songs put the guitar on the spotlight (“64 or “82) while alternating minimalistic parts, making the main riff ’s comeback even more delightful (“Evil After All” or “And That Winter That Never Comes”).Multiple listening will make you discover new atmospheres in every part. They’ll also reveal quite complex song structures but sadly they’llcome back too often sometimes causing us to struggle when it comes to tel-ling the songs apart. This is especially true in the end of the album, even if the three last tracks are as catchy and exciting.

Vacuum Road is able to mix post rock, alternative and atmospheric and to combine melody, power and emotio-

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nal strength in prog music, refined by subtle arrangements, an overall impressive technique and an incredibly good production.

Some elements are left to be perfected and Vacuum Road needs to develop its artistic personality to break free from its influences sometimes too heavy or too present. But it is overall quite deep and this “Rear Views”, and its 9 tracks almost all over 6 minutes, looks more like a confirmation album, than a first try, proving the enormous potential of the band, even if it’s their first production. Talent doesn’t wait years to show up. Let’s hope that Vacuum Road will meet the success it deserves and that the band will carry on going down the same path. A band to keep an eye on.

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Formed about ten years ago, Vacuum Road decided from the start to evolve in an alternative rock register with heavy metal in-fluences, a style that perfectly suits them. After only a year together they won the second place at the local Rougail Rock music contest.

With a strong line-up settled in 2010, Thomas on vocals, Yann on guitars, Ra-phael on the bass and Emily on the drums, they progress in the right direction, accumulating not only concerts but also compositions. It’s after a final change in the line-up that Laurent took the drums in 2015 : at a time when the band was finishing up their debut album, “Rear Views”. The compositions are infused with a very personal touch, highlighted by the progressive aspect which only adds density to everything they hold. Using a very frank and massive tone, Va-cuum Road is eager to throw at us some rhythmic treasures supported by those slashing guitars but also by this delightful voice.They multiply breaks and other stylish guitar effects. The band stands out from the very powerful progressive Metal branch while not forgetting to put a couple of impressive riffs. The musicians don’t shun demonstration, and assembles eve-rything without harming the harmonious structure. We praise the overall quality of “Rear Views”, a perfect balance between titles such as “The Sandlords”, “Wa-ter and Gravity “, “Evil After All” or even “ And That Winter That Never Comes”. All of this makes the album into a piece of art that requires time to be fully un-derstood. Here is a band that has the arguments to go against the big ones!

www.zicazic.com - 3 mars 2017

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InterviewWhat’s the question that you’ve been asked way too much?-Why don’t you incorporate elements from tradi-tionnal Reunion Island’s Music?

The tracks of “Rear Views” have a format similar to those of ProgMetal and content similar to alt or atmospheric. How would you describe Vacuum Road’s music to our listeners that have yet to listen to the album.

-The crucial question – but none the less essen-tial – of the label... The term Alternative-atmos-pheric -metal is rather accurate, I think. Now, it’s true that the term alternative is a bit tarnished, as once you’ve said it, you know nothing more. It’s an album with long songs, slow tempo, ethereal atmospheres, it’s an album that we wanted full of emotion above all. If you like prog structures, but you’re kind of tired of technical showoff, give it a listen !

We see different influences in your music such as Tool, Archive or Anathema. Do you agree? Are there any other bands that you feel like you’re being inspired by?

First of all, Tool: Because we enjoy taking our time, the trance that comes out of those re-petitive pattern, mystical ambiances... Deftones, because it’s a singer that put some fragility into Metal, I respect that.Regarding my vocals, my references are not in Metal : I’m thinking about Björk, whom I’ve probably borrowed some gimmicks.

The line-up seems to have been pretty stable for quite some time but you’ve changed dru-mmers during the making of the album; Why, and has that been a problem for creation process?

Emilie, the drummer who recorded all the drum parts of the album, had to leave us to pur-sue her professional goals. (I think it’s the number 1 reason bands split in Reunion Island.). Before her, the album composition, had started with Thierry (also exiled in France). That was quite problematic, as you can guess. Songs written with our former drummer probably

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have a more radio-friendly touch.

Why have you chosen “The Sandlords” for your music video? This is perhaps the poppest track of the album. Don’t you fear it’ll give a twisted image of the band?

-We can’t deny our pop side and what we had hoped with this music video, would be that people that have no affinity towards rock or metal may want to check out the rest of the album. In terms of atmosphere, it’s quite loyal towards to the rest of the CD.

However, it truly reflects the ambiguous side of your music, between softness and rage. Has this duality been a motor while you were writing and composing?

In terms of compositions,we went easy. We composed without the objective of releasing an album. Some songs are 10 years old, and have evolved throughout the different bassists and drummers. The album was painfully recorded over 2 years. In terms of guitars, there was a huge part of trial and error, when we started mixing we realized that the guitar takes were not good enough, the sound was too stale. Yann had to rerecord everything from scratch 3 times. We could count on the availability of Samuel our Sound Engineer and the locals of Nawar Productions, for countless hours.

The production of the album is filled with very interesting arrangements but quite difficult to do on stage, is that an issue for you?

For the arrangements everything was decided during post-production. We wanted to add a little something compared to our live performances. We really didn’t plan that those arran-gements were going to take such a big part of the album. Once the album was over we tried playing over samples during our shows. But it was rather disappointing : we had to play on rails and I think it took too much spontaneity out of our shows. We kept the raw side on stage, and I think it works better that way. They’re two different aspects of our music, one

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live, rawer, more direct and slightly more brutal, and the CD one which is thicker and en-lightened by other sound elements.

In the interview on LINFO.re, we see a few seconds of the band playing and they chose to pick a screaming moment, not quite accurate and rather cartoonish way that media has on Metal music. Do you regret this position?

I remember what happened that night, we had an outside gig booked with Planck. It was the first time that this bar programmed a rock/metal show. The neighbours immediately came fucking around and called the cops. While the cops were yet to come, we decided to do as much noise as we possibly could just to fuck with people. It was the night where the local TV station decided to do an article on Reunion Island’s Me-tal scene, they were late, it was the last song before the shut everything down, unlucky...

A career is already very hard to achieve in France, so in Reunion Island it must be one hell of an obstacle course, isn’t it ?

If by carrer, you’re talking about selling albums and living only off of concerts, bands that are looking forward to that have nothing to do in Reunion Island. Even though there are a couple of very passionate people here trying to keep the scene alive it’s not enough.

Promotion is often time consuming and expensive for self-financed bands? Bands like Warfield or Planck struggle to cross the borders of the island. How are you hoping to make it?

We hope to do a small tour in 2017 in France, essentially opening for local bands in Concerts/Caffés. For exportations, local bands usually rely on national bands that have a show planned in Reunion Island. It’s a good time to make some contacts, it’s our strategy.

What are your expectations on this album release?

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I see the Metal scene of the island as something that’s left to be built. Few metal bands here get to the point of re-leasing an album, so every album release is quite important. This album has to be a proof that the Metal scene gives itself the means to exist, that Metal here exists through forms as varied as anywhere.

What’s your best artist memory?

Our first shows at the late-Cyclone-Café, it was incredibly small, it was way too hot and every show was a hell of a mess.

And the worst ?

A gig by the sea in Saint-Leu, the au-dience was mainly composed of families who had no clue of what was going on.

What’s the question you would like to be asked ?

Do you have any Reunion Island bands to recommend? Yes! Planck, The Showdus, Warfield

Any last word to the reader of Music Waves?

Emilie the drummer who is on the album, has started a new project in France. It’s called “Poumon”, it’s Trip-Hop and they got noticed by Krakatoa. It’s really good.

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Media

REAR VIEWS - Album published in 2016Full album for free on : https://vacuumroad.bandcamp.com and on Deezer, Spotifyand Itunes

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EP 4 tracks : «Madness is the new Bliss» published in 2017

Full EP available on Deezer, Spotify, Itunes

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1 track published on Studiotic compilation

Compilation published in 2015

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«The Sandlords» - Video published in January 2016Available here :

http://bit.ly/2n591rP

Crowdfunded with Ulule

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LIVE AU PALAXA : http://bit.ly/2n591rP

Live in Palaxa - Nuit de Kal 2016 «And that winter that never comes»

Track from the first albumhttp://bit.ly/2n591rP

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Responsive website

Everything you need about the band : medias / photos / gigs / EPK

www.vacuumroadmusic.com