L'Eau Rouge

The music itself was great but the vocals were so grating

Catch up #20 October 25 2026 Baffling inclusion #9 What a weird album. There’s some traditional French music, 80s guitar riffing and gated reverb snare, industrial metal type sounds, and a lot of… something. None of it is good though. ⭐️

First off, good to have a non-anglophone album. Unfortunately, this is a style of music that's not worn well I think with the passage of time. It's not bad, but it's a bit dull.

French Tom Waits over industrial music. Better than actual Tom Waits I suppose

Expected better from the album cover. Kinda pissed me off

Oui oui! Baguette! Sacre bleu!

At it's peak it was just okay. I think I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. Definitely an interesting album.

genuinamente inescuchable

Feel 8/10: I don’t know how they switch feels so much Length 7/10: don't awful. First song is stretched out too much Musicality 9/10:Surprising how good it is Flow 6/10: Very different feels but not awful Understandability 3/10: I don’t speak French Overall 7/10: Very very good

I like weird, I like screaming, I like circus altough I don't like this :(

I think I could have really enjoyed this if they got anybody else to sing. I love weird music and I really like industrial music. But man... these vocals are some of the worst on the entire list, he really sounds like he is trying to take a shit the whole time. The instrumentals are great, but that singer just kills any excitement I would have for this band. High 3.

Segundo Francia

Their second album. French Experimental / Industrial. Well, this is bonkers and I found I am all for it. It's all over the place structurally and I've no idea what they're on about but really enjoyed this.

hm

the only thing worse than Prog Rock is French Prog Rock

The influence on future bans like NIN and Rammstein is evident. An innovative, early industrial album.

The Young Gods are an early industrial band from Switzerland. Their album “L'Eau Rouge” offers, aside from the language (I’ll get back to that in a moment), a whole range of experiments, many of which work surprisingly well once you’ve listened to them a few times. For one thing, the sound is extremely dense for 1989, yet it sounds largely natural, even though no real instruments are involved aside from the drums. For another, the vocals aren’t typical of the ’80s at all; instead, Franz Treichler impresses with a powerful baritone voice featuring slight growling elements. The 80s drum sound, on the other hand, doesn’t fit the music at all in my opinion. Also, personally, I could do without the shooting gallery organ interludes (“La fille de la morte,” “Charlotte”). Then there’s the matter of the language. In fact, French wasn’t uncommon in experimental music in Europe at the time. I still remember a concert by the band Forguette Mi Note just a few years later—they were considered the hottest thing among musicians and, with acoustic instruments, sounded very similar to this album. While none of this has become standard, I interpret it as The Young Gods standing here as representatives of the European avant-garde of the late ’80s—and that is indeed something worth exploring.

Saved? ❌ Would listen again? ❌ Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌

This record is mostly forgettable except for those raspy-ass vocals. I think they gave me second-hand throat cancer. Favourite Track(s): Longue route, Charlotte Least Favourite Track(s): La fille de la mort

cant stand the vocals

tbh I wouldn't listen to this in any language

Failed art rock album the contains a bunch o' growling (in French) over clunky drum parts and samples of heavy metal riffs. Bands like Public Enemy and the Avalanches have used sampling to transform the source material into something radically new, but in the case of this particular record the results are lifeless.

Favorite songs: L'Eau Rouge This is like the soundtrack for the Murder of a Mime. If only the lead singer was a mime.

hard rock with an interesting approach. not my thing but pretty good

If the apocalypse was aggresively french, it would sound like this. Swans meets Jean-Michael-Jarre

Very rammstein-esch. Little ministry-ish. This was a cool listen. Started a little Broadway-ish. I feel very cultured listening to foreign languages in music. This is ahead of its time - some nine inch nail-sy vibes. I discovered I like using band names as adjectives.

For those dismissing this as "French NIN", be aware that The Young Gods predate NIN by several years, so it's more accurate to say that NIN were the "American Young Gods". That said, this is a difficult album to love. It's texturally interesting but also rather abrasive, and a lot of the tracks are quite repetitive - particularly the atrocious opener - putting your attention squarely on the lyrics, which are in French. I'm not one to put down world music just because it's not in English but in this instance the language barrier is a problem.

not what i felt like at all. L'Amourir was ok. The rest was mostly unmemorable. would not even remotely consider listening to this again. 2 stars

That was....something else. But not in a nice way.

An eerily accurate amalgamation of everything I hate. Tom Waits in French backed by half-assed industrial nonsense.

Una tortura. La voz del cantante es molesta.

raros sonidos, se aprecia el esfuerzo i guess. Le pongo uno porque me gustó el minuto 3:20 de la primera canción y las guitarras a veces eran interesantes

It must be hard to sing heavy songs in French, but here we are. NFI what they are singing about as I know little French. I didn’t mind the orchestral bits. One word to summarise: oubliette.

like if you asked tom waits to be french and make industrial music. ts so butt and that coming from someone who likes tom waits

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

I gave this one my best shot, but I failed to connect with it. Sonically, it's all over the place and doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard. There are some cool songs here, like "Ville Notre," but I just don't know when I'd want to revisit this in the future.

2.5 interesting sound choices, there’s a strong Minneapolis sound to this, Prince beats with French rock vocals

2.5

3.5

First song made me feel sick... the rest was just... angry French lol

Good industrial

Kid: Mom I want to listen to Rammstein. Mom: No, we have that at home. *Get's home to French speaking Swiss Rammstein.* Kid: Ugh...FML.

This is pretty awesome. The Young Gods have crafted a really unique, exciting sound here. It's heavy in a great way and full of elements that seem contradictory on first glance. I wish there were more non-English albums on this list, it really forces me to listen to the album differently than I normally would and to base my judgements on the quality of the music as opposed to the content of the lyrics, especially in a language like French where I am very unfamiliar with the language. Favorite tracks: "Rue des Tempêtes," "Les enfants"

It was 1984. I was on the school French exchange. My mate Gary had got hold of some magic mushrooms. After, I returned to my host family who insisted I joined them for a glass of red wine and a selection of cheeses. I retired to bed and had some strange almost fever dreams as I dropped off to sleep. And that is the closest thing I have experienced to relate to this album. 5/5 will listen again.

Just not for me. Didn't listen all the way through.

Those Swiss guys sound really angry about something!

I wanted to like this but it’s too screamo for me. Didn’t finish the album.

I’m always surprised by how much weird cabaret music is on this list. This album is a hybrid of industrial, metal, and French cabaret. The lead singer has an insane, menacing growl. I’d be curious to know what he’s singing about since it’s in French. Overall, I respect this, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

Really, really enjoyed this. It's so cinematic and heavy and industrial and confusing as someone who doesn't speak French, but that all adds up to an interesting and cool listening experience. That first track in particular is a real eye opener! Kind of sounds like the band Ministry at times? But with a lot more depth (in my opinion), and more experimentation. This really sounded great to me. Awesome experience.

I liked the energy of this music. It was both interesting and relaxing at the same time. Being in French I couldn't understand the lyrics of course. But the singers voice was smooth and emotional.

This is actually either a 2 or a 4. Quite interesting but also quite infuriating. Might have to listen to it again.

These are some atrocious vocals

Tom Waits in Geneva?…

A tough listen

This sounds like my nightmares. For context my nightmares usually involve me getting shot.

So this was nuts. I thought it was some trippy circus music shit, then the metal starts. And it's French? It remains psychedelic and such, but only intermittently so. Reminiscent of Gojira, for obvious reasons. I'd add to that Mastodon. Neither of those are exactly my cuppa, but I don't hate either. This would probably be 2.5 if that were possible, but I'll bump it up for riffage.

didn't like that one bit

This is a trip to Fire Island. First you head to the subway weaving through NY pedestrians and traffic. An endless sea of people, colors, and chaotic movement. Next, you zip quickly by train -full, fast, ordered. A mad dash to busses trying to secure your spot for the trip to the ferry terminal. So close, you hold tight while skipping harsh waves at a quick pace to the island, ultimately being dropped off on land to drag your belongings to the house.

Does they mean it? And more importantly - what is it exactly? My rudimentary understanding of French is both a benefit and an impediment. Drum sounds aside - there's enough unique sonics here - the waits/Serge vocals and often excellent strings - to keep it interesting. Ultimately though - at this same time - Foetus is doing much more compelling and affecting work in a similar palate - and with much better drum sounds.

French screamo industrial metal cabaret music. It is an interesting listen, the music is pretty damn cool, but the singing just doesn't hit for me. Cool to hear different than what I would normally listen too, but not gonna get much replay. Also, hate the band name and the album artwork.

Du rock suisse, on aura tout vu...

Wasn't bad but I don't speak French.

I thought it was pretty cool! Never heard of these guys but I enjoyed the blending of industrial with more traditional music. Parts that sound like Ministry, parts that sound like old French music. If there's a downside, it's that his voice is a bit over the top, and that I can't pinpoint to a specific standout song.

This felt like a parody of itself. Which sometimes works for me! But this time did not. I liked the last two tracks well enough.

This dude somehow managed to get 4 Nick Cave albums on here so its no surprise he found the French Cover band of the NC&The Bad Seeds.

Alright

Nelabai patiko, balsas įkyrus

It's not every day you hear something so astoundingly bad that all you can do is laugh. What a blast.

Nobody know what it means, but it’s provocative, it gets the people going.

Overall Rating - 2.15/5 (4.30/10). Just not really a fan of industrial, and making it in French doesn't really improve it.

DNF

Yeah... no. Absolutely not. This ain't it. This just doesn't work for me in all ways. On top of having problems connected with vocals in a different language, the vocals in this are TERRIBLE. The music sounds like the first idea that popped in their head without actually working on it. I was going to give this 1 star, but it's clear these guys pioneered a new sound that very obviously lead to NiN and other artists taking it over and actually making good ideas with it. So I'll add a star for that. But does the first guy who figured out adding garlic to food remembered as a great chef if the food he made still sucked?

La fille de la mort ("The Daughter of Death") 3.6 Rue des Tempêtes ("Tempest Street") 3.4 L'eau rouge ("The Red Water") 3.5 Charlotte 3.3 Longue route ("Long Route") 3.6 Crier les chiens ("Screaming the Dogs") 3.5 Ville nôtre ("City of Ours") 3.5 Les enfants ("The Children") 3.3 Score: 3.4625

No

Industrial francés

this was super creepy and horrible

Not my vibe at all. The only thing I enjoyed was the occasional guitar part. The mixing, singing, and style of the music really put me off the album as a whole. I listened through it but it never got any better.

Unlistenable

7 / 10 - Rau, Dreckig, Verstörend - Nur Synth, Drums & Gesang - Gleichzeitig Repetitiv und Abwechslungsreich, interessante Mischung - Von verstörendem Cabaret zu hartem Industrial Rock ("Charlotte" zu "Longue Route") - echt wild ... aber auch irgendwie geil Favs: - Rue Des Tempêtes - Charlotte - Longue Route

Frank rock, inte min grej.

That was interesting, not quite my taste but interesting

not my vibe

My poor ears

When I turned this one on, I was sure I was going to hate it. I was wrong. Completely unpredictable at every turn. They sound like ZZ Top, Motorhead, and Tears for Fears at different points in the record. So cool. Loved it.

I had never heard of this one before. it’s nice for when you want to listen to Swans but in French. D’ACCORD!!!!

This that chaotic shit Melkor played that disrupted the harmony of the music of the Ainur. Kinda cool tho.

Parts of this were deeply unsettling. I didn’t exactly like it, but it succeeded in extracting the emotions it intended to.

Awful

What a weird, bizarre and strangely fascinating way to end this journey. Slightly fitting this is my final album here. I appreciate it for being different but I wouldn't openly search for it either. After 3 years, farewell.

Oof (3/100)

sounds like the shit Rodrick played when Greg was in the middle of the skating rink about to grind on Holly hills

Okay I can forgive irritating vocals (germs my beloved) but not when the instrumentals are equally ass. This whole album feels super theatrical but not in a good way and always seems to be building to the most underwhelming and booty drops ever. ZERO stars would rather listen to rock bottom

Someone get this man his inhaler

No thank you.

I was only able to listen to half of the album. My French didn’t help with the lyrics. Overall I thought it was good

Yeah I couldn’t listen to this. Maybe the instrumentals were good but the vocals were so French

There were a few times that for a split second i thought it had potential and then he opened his damn mouth

why cant they just give up on music like they give up on everything else 1.5 rounding down

And then they clicked “record” 😳

Industrial meets cabaret and make it French. This kind of worked for me. 4/5

I can take just about anything for 40 minutes… except this.

This is a weird one. At some moments it reminds me of a hard rock/industrial version of Tom Waits' Rain Dogs. But it isn't nearly that good. It comes off sounding like an experiment not totally gone right rather than genius. It's also not nearly as good as something like KMFDM, which is more along their direct peers. It has some good moments, like L'Amourir and Pas Mal, but not something I'd listen to a lot of or recommend. 3/5

Mammy, daddy this one was hard work. The opening tune was like a fairground tune. Some of the tunes had driving bass and there were some episodes of heavy metal drum work but I found this album to be one that I feel I have survived rather than enjoyed.

I'll be honest, and this is a bit unfair of me, but I wasn't expecting much from a group named 'The Young Gods'. Kind of a pompous name. This was somehow even stranger than I could've expected, though. Not everyone is going to have the mindset for industrial rock, dark cabaret, or whatever the hell you want to classify this as. Not to mention the gruff French voice that is uncomfortably belting out to you all the while. It's intentionally creepy and unsettling, so I guess I get the vibe. There are some melodic elements amidst the chaos, but it's never consistent enough to digest properly. I also can't unhear Tom Waits after so many reviewers mentioned him...

I could hardly tell you what was being said but it was a good time listening.

Angry french man over the sounds of a blender with a brick in it. Miserable to listen to

Ну на троечку, больше нечего сказать

Like Rammstein, but without chorus. A few songs are ok.

Woof, not sure I needed to know that French industrial was a genre. One of those records I struggle to imagine anyone really enjoying. Wasn’t completely unlistenable though so light 2.

Maybe if I understood what they were saying I would’ve liked this better. Some (but not all) of the music was actually pretty good rock. Almost a 3

European circus music from hell. This actually had a couple of good moments but they were few and far between.

experimental, beautiful, gross

The shit goes pretty hard. Dark, anxiety, aggression. No cheese - despite the Swiss origins.

Nope. Nightmare music.

Zero

Not for me

"My husband Gregory and I want what any couple wants: to retire to Stockholm and develop a currency for dogs and cats to use"

Swiss garbage

Watahelll je ovo

I'm not a big fan of metal music in English, and it turns out I'm not a big fan when it's in French either. Le Fille De La Mort actually started out pretty interesting, I was really loving the energy. But then it just devolved into noise. The rest of the album was just not my thing. Best song: Le Fille De La Mort

French industrial musette is my jam. I ran to Discogs to put this album in my want list! Amazing!

It started horribly, but as it went on it got better and better, but never got to impressive levels. Horrible singing, playing is mostly good, but essentially industrial (i don't like that). All in all a 2.5/5

it's a unique album, but it's very dependent on your tastes and the moment you're listening it. While reading The Invisibles, worked really well. But outside of that, it's quite harsh and uncomfortable.

I’m into foreign music and weird music, so this benefits a bit from my personal bias. Not sure I would listen again though.. 2.5/5

Französische Schweizer - der Stil ist recht schwer zu definieren.

2.8 Hmm. On paper I should love this. Industrial metal from the late 80s. Yet I really, really couldn't get into it. Two main gripes were: 1) the vocals. I struggle with both that style of vocals, as well as the French language aspect. It's why I could never get into Rammstein when all my mates loved them. 2) the experimental nature. It almost sounds theatrical at times, and not in a good way. Either do an industrial metal album or do a Broadway show. Not both imo. Won't be putting on again. Then again, there's so much worse shite out there.

So many fun weird sounds

Volvemos al ruedo después de un largo tiempo con esta banda que no ubico para nada pero el que sea industrial me alegra. No me terminó de enganchar, más allá de que el género me gusta. Sin más para agregar, nos vemos la próxima semana.

Not bad late 80's industrial but I've heard much better.

Не слушабельно Аутентично, необычный вокал Франция, но больше ничего

The intense vocal stylings of Neubauten meet the surreal disorienting dark-circus vibes of Foetus, but it's all in French. Maddening in a cool way but not really essential. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for the darker end of the industrial rock spectrum but not to many other people.

Wow! A pleasant surprise. Not a fan of electronic music or industrial, but this was smart, melodic and aesthetics that I can appretiate. Listening to this was an experience and the one I rather enjoyed. Fun fact: song Long Route includes sample of "Technocratic Manipulators" by one of my favourite bands Voivod. I liked how Young Gods took the main riff from this song and made something completely different out of it. (Why Voivod isn't in the book, ffs?) Also, they have one of the most badass names a band could have.

Just WOW

Whoa, wasn't expecting to hear theatrical French industrial music this morning, but what a treat! Guitar tones reminded me of KMFDM at times, and comparisons to early Ministry seem appropriate too. I wish I spoke the language to understand what he was saying with that great, gravelly voice of his. 4/5

I was initially pretty taken with this, but the novelty wore off fairly quickly. It works for a song, but less so for an album. I still enjoyed it, but it doesn't have lasting power for me. 3.49/5

Listening to the first song of L'eau rouge was like watching a play: theatrical, expressive, full of twists and turns - genuinely interesting stuff. Listening to a whole album of it (especially when it gets weaker) becomes a chore. The recording is messy, the vocals are the messiest part, and there's not enough structure to hold the whole thing together.

Trent Reznor with a French accent. That's not a compliment.

1/10

Not my cup of tea

Tja, annað hvort hefði ég gefið hærri einkunn eða lægri einkunn ef ég myndi hlusta á þetta á fullum styrk. Fílaði þetta samt alveg nógu mikið til að gefa þessu miðjuna.

Gosto bem peculiar, não me agradou.

I’ve been listening to a lot of Bad Bunny recently in the run up to the half time show at the Super Bowl. His music vocally hasn’t done much for me and I thought it was because of the language I didn’t understand. Well this album being sung in French has made me second guess my thoughts about foreign language music. I enjoyed this a bit even though with some of the avant guard music choices

Unfortunately, this was really a struggle to get through. The French vocals were unbearably rough and I felt similarly about the industrial instrumentation. It was just so thick and direct. I didn’t actively hate the album, but it was an unpleasant listen. Faves: n/a

6/10

One of the best intros I've ever heard. I really like the tone of the vocals and meeting them with the instruments. However, I don't know if the whole album had the cohesiveness of that intro. I enjoyed it overall though. 3.5

i liked the beat but i hated his voice...

"Hey Google, How do you say 'tedious' in French?" cirque du soleil, but make it a nightmare theme

For those of you who don’t speak French, let me assure you that this sucks just as hard when you understand the lyrics.

Fransk!! Noe kult, men også litt for tøft for meg, men spennende

Reminds me of some Tom Waits albums. Not bad overall. It’s in French so hard to judge lyrically. I probably wouldn’t seek this out again, however, I did enjoy the listen for the most part.

Not my thing. French helps

I hate that I got intrigued by this at one point because Revolution 9 musique concrete usually draws me in. It's boundary pushing experimental sound art that establishes a tension. This is that, but instead of being artsy, they inserted a Swiss-French guy who is doing his best Tom Waits over this Trent Reznor-like stuff. The result is too much for my American ass. From my research, the Europeans ate this shit up. All it did for me was give me a headache. I also was committed to Duolingo French for two and a half years, so I understand some of what the guy is saying. Hearing him say OK a million times on Longue Route (Long Road) became annoying with his "CRASSANT" ass voice. D'ACCORRDDDDDDD and that awful disorienting sample work. The only part of this album I liked was Charlotte because dark cabaret actually fits his voice. When you try and add some heaviness to that, then it becomes overbearing. But hey, c'est la vie. C'est shit (2/10, 1/5 on this scale)

Straight away, in "La fille de la mort", I notice that the vocalist is like a French (I now understand he's actually Swiss!) Justin Young from The Vaccines, which really works. Treichler has one of those unique voices that has the power to stand alone with very little instrumental backup, and that's demonstrated wonderfully here. Treichler's voice warps into something more sinister in "Rus des tempetes" and "L'eau rouge", showing that he has more range than first realized. The industrial guitars have Silent Hill energy to them, making me wonder if the band inspired Akira when he created "Angel's Thanatos". The frenetic vibe of L'eau rouge kept in me in suspense throughout the track, making it an instant favourite. "Charlotte" did nothing for me, though I appreciate the lean into more traditional French music with the accoordian present as a homage. We are straight back to it with "Longue Route" though, with tight drum patterns and an interesting guitar effect with a clashing cymbal effect. All tracks from "Crier Les Chiens" down to the end with "Pas Mal" all follow a similar pattern of sinister lyrics and interesting guitar effects to break the instrumental silence, such as the deep reverberating guitars in "Ville Notre". Overall, I really enjoyed this album, the only thing that prevents the 5 is that it is sang in French, a fault of my own. Triechler's voice is incredible, but me not knowing French prevents that final piece of connection to the music. Everything else is here.

Odd... Great in places... Very odd in others... Will listen again though.

Not really my thing Swiss French yelling

Idc if this is technically a good album on some weird niche music nerd level, it sucks to listen to. I could not be convinced one person listened to this and actively enjoyed it. It started off kind of cool and eerie and then lost sort of any semblance of melody, which is probably the point but i personally don’t like. Even the parts i liked felt like if you made the nightmare before Christmas song kidnap the sandy clause worse. “Fav songs: La fille de la mort, charlotte

Well... it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard before. Probably for a reason.

Never heard of this band. Very french, not for me. Although I have nothing against the french, just the style not for me.

Oh that's a spicy one. I'm glad it's on the list, in the sea of generic britpop, but it's a little too hot for my taste buds.

They are, like... French Liabach!

This album is why I signed up for this album generator and why I was excited to do this challenge! While it's not my favorite album ever, it is so different than anything I would have picked up on my own and I actually enjoyed the flow of the songs.

Couldn't make it through any one song. Not at all for me.

L'Amourir

2.5

1.5

1.5

First of all this, this album is not for me. There is too much I really didn't care for to really place it above my 6.0 thumbs sideways threshold. But I do find in intriguing in structure. I do like the keyboards that sound like a big ass guitar, and some of the builds in this were kind of nifty. I think overall the dark experimentation was not really anything I'm prone to appreciate. But there is moments on the album that I can just say that I like that. The only track I did enjoy was "Rue des Tempêtes" which, to me, sounded like a demented "Love Missle F1-11" (5.75) ★★½

I do think some of the industrial textures here are interesting, though a bit tiring, but I find his singing (which also gives me French chanson vibes) really bad. 2 stars

I encourage everyone who thinks French is a beautiful language when sung to listen to this.

Cool album. Very cool mix of hellish avant garde soundscapes and turbo charged industrial rockers. Can be a bit cheesy and dated at times though. French vocals are admittedly a big turn off at the beginning as they sound like a cross between Rammstein and Pepe Le Pew. Opener La Fille De La Mort is a particularly punishing lengthy standout that concludes by sounding like an absolute warzone and carnivalesque 4th track Charlotte inexplicably has a go at being a Swiss Tom Waits and is, as Bono would say, even better than the real thing (not that it’s hard).

Yeah, no. French idk what, but no thank you. - French! Rather lengthy album... - Easy skip on the first one. French carnival music? - This might be too experimental for me. Just because you're playing instruments doesn't make it music... - Oof I just got a nails on chalkboard shiver. Skip!

On est en 1989, j'ai 19 ans. C'est l'année où le Mur tombe, mais moi, je suis occupé à me prendre une autre sorte de parpaing en pleine gueule. On va être clair tout de suite : la Suisse, musicalement, pour moi, c'était le néant ou pire, c'était Yello (que je respecte, attention) ou des trucs prog bizarres. Et là, débarquent de Genève ces types, The Young Gods. Rien que le nom, ça sonne comme une promesse ou un blasphème, ça dépend de quel côté de la barrière on se place. J'ai découvert cet album, "L'Eau Rouge", juste avant de commencer à bosser en radio. À l'époque, je traînais mes guêtres dans les concerts bruyants, je me nourrissais de Sonic Youth, de Joy Division et de trucs bien noirs. Et là, je tombe sur cet OVNI. Ce disque, c'est une anomalie, une aberration magnifique. Un album beau comme un accident de voiture au ralenti sous la pluie. Pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas, il faut imaginer le concept. On est à la fin des années 80, le sampler commence à être partout, mais généralement, c'est pour faire du hip-hop ou de la house. Eux ? Que dalle car Franz Treichler et sa bande utilisent le sampler pour recréer du rock. Mais pas n'importe comment. Ils ne jouent pas de la guitare, ils jouent des samples de guitare sur des claviers et la nuance est énorme. Ça donne un son chirurgical, froid, massif, une sorte de mur de briques sonores monté par des architectes sous acides. Dès l'ouverture avec "La Fille de la Mort", tu comprends que tu n'es pas là pour rigoler. C'est martial, c'est industriel, mais putain, qu'est-ce que c'est lyrique ! C'est ça le génie des Young Gods : réussir à marier la puissance de feu du metal industriel (on pense à Godflesh, que j'adore par-dessus tout) avec une espèce de poésie de cabaret berlinois décadent. Treichler ne gueule pas comme un veau, il chante. Il a cette voix de crooner toxique, un peu chaman, un peu clochard céleste, qui te raconte des histoires sordides avec une classe internationale. Et puis arrive le morceau titre, "L'Eau Rouge". Une valse, oui, une putain de valse industrielle. C'est lent, c'est lourd, c'est beau à en chialer. C'est là que le disque bascule pour moi de "très bon" à "chef-d'œuvre absolu". Il y a cette ambiance poisseuse, comme une fin de nuit trop arrosée où tu ne sais plus si tu vas embrasser ou frapper ton voisin. Franchement, balancer ça sur une rythmique qui semble être jouée par des machines-outils, il fallait oser. C'est théâtral sans être ridicule, c'est tout simplement grandiose. Ce qui me fascine avec cet album, et c'est ce que je répétais à longueur de journée aux clients quand je bossais chez ce disquaire indé quelques années plus tard, c'est l'espace. Contrairement aux groupes de rock qui remplissent tout, les Young Gods laissent des trous. Il y a du silence entre les frappes de batterie (une vraie batterie, tenue par l'incroyable Use Hiestand, qui cogne comme un bûcheron). Ce mélange d'organique et de synthétique, c'est la recette miracle. On dirait du blues joué par des robots dépressifs. Et puis, il y a ce côté "chanson française" qui déraille. On sent l'héritage de Brel, si Brel avait troqué son accordéon contre un Akai S900 et une pédale de distorsion, c'est ce qui rend le truc unique. Ministry ou Nine Inch Nails, c'est bien, c'est efficace, mais c'est américain mais ça manque de ce spleen européen, de cette élégance un peu "vieux continent" fatigué. "L'Eau Rouge", c'est la bande-son d'une Europe qui se regarde dans le miroir et qui voit ses cernes. J'écoute ça aujourd'hui, en 2026, et ça n'a pas pris une ride, c'est même effrayant de modernité. La production est sèche, précise et rien ne dépasse, c'est l'horlogerie suisse appliquée au chaos sonore. Dans ma discothèque, il est rangé pas loin de "Streetcleaner" de Godflesh et de "Daydream Nation" de Sonic Youth. C'est la sainte trinité du bruit intelligent. "L'Eau Rouge", c'est l'album que je sors quand je veux expliquer à quelqu'un que la musique électronique, ce n'est pas que pour danser en mangeant des pastilles colorées. C'est aussi pour invoquer des démons et boire du vin rouge jusqu'à l'aube. 5 sur 5, évidemment car c'est un album monumental. "C'est la fille de la mort qui m'a montré son corps Et celle du procureur qui m'a volé mon coeur C'est la fille de la mort qui m'a montré son corps Et celle du boulevard qui m'a planté son dard" 😀

interesting but not good

I appreciated some of the gnarly guitar in this but... damn... who let the French get hold of the overdrive pedal. I love that the Wikipedia article forwards the opinion that this is widely regarded as their masterpiece... okay guys. This has made it hard to jump back in and write reviews, but... onwards we march. Favourite track: title track Least favourite track: literally roll the dice bro 5.5/10

This would have been okay but oldmates disgusting voice (and language) made this painful to listen to. I really struggled especially after the halfway mark. The instrumentals were... OK, but the annoying fucking vocals really made me want to give up on this. Update: yeah I couldn't finish this - this Les enfants got me, this album is fucking putrid bro

Didn't care for the first song, which blows, but the rest of this album is GREAT. Not quite a 5 for me but this honestly gets better as the album goes on. Dark, industrial, synthy, VERY 80s and weird as fuck because listening to French activates small parts of my angry pubescent mind as I try to decipher the very little that I have retained from 2 years of French immersion in high school Highlights: Ville Notre, L'Amourir

It feels like I am in a fucking circus. I don't wanna be in a circus. I don't want a creepy clown staring me down and shout at me. Like what you like but, it ain't for me. I wanna forget what I have just listened.

Sacrebleu

Not great but I’ve never listened to anything like it. Grungey French stuff

Didn't really like it, but some were ok.

A bit long for the french heavy rock. But had a pretty unique sound just not that pleasurable

I enjoyed the gritty sound, even though I don’t speak French and had no idea what they were saying.

I hate the French lol

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. It’s just not good, is it?!

Fr*nch

Can’t take this one seriously, because: 1. Vocals sounds ridiculous 2. French 🤮 1.5/5

not for me.

Alright

Dark Industrial is a genre I don't quite grasp, despite efforts. But, this album was listenable.

Extra star because its refreshing to hear something unique

als ich das Albumcover und den Namen der Band gesehen habe, hat es mir Nick cave vibes gegeben. ich weiß nicht genau warum, aber dadurch habe ich auch etwas in die Richtung erwartet. jedoch wurde ich stark enttäuscht und es ist wieder ein experimental Album. jetzt habe ich aber auch das Gefühl, dass die meisten alben in dieser challenge experimental sind, vielleicht kommen ja noch ein paar die mir besser gefallen.

French Tom Waits (circa Bone Machine)

Mongolial throat singing ass vocals. I don't even know what this was, so weird, not good

Ok so Rammstein vibes - initially interesting before devolving into Willy Wonka mess. 2/5

8/10 20.01.2026

Nou wat een taaie zit was dit of zoals ze dan denk ik in het Frans zeggen: 3 fois rien. Snap niet hoe dit in de beste 1001 albums aller tijden komt te staan , maar goed, smaken verschillen. Geen nummer dat op mij aansloeg of wat hier op in de buurt kwam. Franse experimentele Metal is dus niet echt bepaald een genre waar ik van kan genieten. Zeker de slechtste tot nu toe en 1 ster waard voor dit gedrocht van een album.

When I'm in a niche music competition and my opponent is French industrial dark cabaret avant garde symphonic metal. Weten jullie nog dat ik het had over muziek die je laat voelen? Well, this album gives me the creeps. Het voelt een beetje als een horror film, en ik denk dat veel tracks - minus vocals - goed zouden werken als soundtrack van een film (Bugonia bijvoorbeeld!!!!!). Dit onbehaagelijke gevoel verliest helaas wel een beetje zijn kracht in de loop van het album, en repeat listens zitten er niet echt in. Net als hoe je de clue van een goeie thriller ook maar één keer echt fresh kan ervaren (kijk Bugonia!!!). Veel van de industriële sounds en scary strings fuckte ik wel mee, maar ik kan écht niet met die clown accordion. De vocals zijn conceptually cool en passen bij de duistere vibe, maar na een tijdje worden ze wel wat saai. En misschien komt het omdat ik geen Frans kan, maar de lyrics leken voornamelijk te bestaan uit 100x de song title herhalen. Het album heeft absoluut een atmosfeer, en ik vermoed dat het sterke invloeden heeft gehad op (Europese) industrial sounds, zoals bijvoorbeeld een Rammstein, maar ook in de techno scene. Ik ben blij dit ervaren te hebben, maar hoef het niet vaker te horen. No liked songs, maar Pas Mal was niet slecht :p

Wat de hell was dit. Zaten er enjoyable stukken in? Sure. Was dit op enige manier een verdiende plek in de lijst? Absoluut niet. Op geen manier zou dit album op een lijst van albums you need te hear before you die moeten staan.

La fille de la mort was een interessante start, ik dacht eerst dat we Franse chansons gingen luisteren en was me mentaal aan het voorbereiden op een uurtje rustige muziek. Halverwege het nummer gaat het om in een soort geluid waarvan je een paniek aanval krijgt, een man schreeuwt een onverstaanbare taal in je oor, de muziek is paniekerig en ineens begint er een epische viool (4:00-5:00) en langzaam zakt de muziek weer af in angst en paniek. Ik weet eigenlijk niet wat ik luister maar het roept op een interessante manier gevoelens op. Je hebt het idee dat er verhaal wordt verteld over iemand die doordraait en daarmee strijdt. ""La Fille de la Mort" by The Young Gods translates to "The Daughter of Death" and embodies themes of transformation, rebirth, and confronting darkness, often interpreted through industrial sounds and powerful, haunting vocals, symbolizing a surrender to change and finding beauty in letting go, as explored in their gritty industrial rock style. " Zonder de taal te begrijpen toch de feeling gekregen... nice. Charlotte is wat je hoort op een horror kermis scene. Een zigeuner waarzegster zegt dat je het einde van de avond niet haalt, je hebt psychedelische middelen op en de kermistent draait en het reizigersvolk danst om je heen. Daarna ineens Longue route vol op terug in de metal en met gekke synthesizers en een pratende man, waardoor ik me in een grimmige club aan de drugs waan. De muziek komt ook lekker uit m'n nieuwe boxen. Ville Notre releasing the demons from hell in de laatste 15 seconden Soms lijkt het wel Mongoolse keelzang Paar song geliked, fuck it. 3/5, ik zou het zeker niemand aanraden om te luisteren maar heb er vandaag met plezier naar geluisterd

2, interesting but not my cup of thé

This is the first punk album I've heard that used so much sampling, and I was really impressed with the seamlessness of it all. I'm used to sample-based music relying heavily on melodies from the original work to make its point, but it really feels on this one like the samples were cut down much further to allow the sequencing of more original melodies, reusing only tones and production decisions from the original work. An impressive achievement all around! Sounds just as gruff and grumbly as any other punk record, but using an entirely different technique to make that sound happen.

Angry french men. Yeah!! (This one’s not for me)

I can appreciate this for what it is, but am fine only listening to it the once

..

Não é tanto do meu gosto, mas é bom

Interesting genre. Not a fave, but didn't dislike it.

After really enjoying The Young Gods' T.V. Sky, I was excited to check out L'Eau Rouge. The music is fantastic, powerful, intense, and every bit as gripping as I'd hoped. That said, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that most of the vocals are in French. Since I don't understand the language, it definitely made it harder to fully connect with the lyrics on the first listen, totally my issue, not the album's fault! I plan to keep coming back to it, and I have a strong feeling L'Eau Rouge will grow on me over time as I get more familiar with the sound and maybe even look up some translations. The music alone is already pretty incredible.

lowkey had to stop listening cause i just wasn’t vibing LOL, but do appreciate its innovation soundwise

The soundtrack to Expedition 33 if Ubisoft produced it.

Bunch of French noise. Leave the real rock to the Americans and Brits. Gojira and Daft Punk carry that country (and some other DJs)

what the hell, sure

Well that went some places. Not totally opposed to some French Tom Waits growling.

This was a lot for a Tuesday morning

No standouts

It's no Angine de Poitrines, I'll give them that.

The French were really going through it.

Interesting

Canções com um tom seco, obscuro. Não há muita melodia mas um som mais primal e direto. Gostei das influências francesas em algumas músicas. O encontro entre guitarras distorcidas, sintetizadores e cordas dá um efeito a mais, ajudando na amvientação.

Weird

This was a fun novelty listen at first, but a full album of this? No thanks. Luckily this album is pretty short, so at the very least it doesn't overstay its welcome. Any more of that grating voice would have been too much. The cabaret elements are mostly what make this actually listenable, it's such a weird contrast from the vocals and the general style, but there's something fun about it. Overall definitely not deserving of being in the top 20 lowest albums in my opinion, but I won't be coming back to this likely ever.

Bass and drums are good but vocals are awful, makes the album painful to listen to.

??? mhh kurz tom Waits stimme sonst? c

Pretty decent early industrial album, I would have liked it more if it was heavier.

Just not an electronica fan

Wacky

Well, that was interesting. Swiss Industrial Metal. reminded me of Rammstein (German Industrial Metal) and early Nine Inch Nails, but not as good.

What the HELL did I just listen to??! That was the weirdest album yet I think. It was like The Hu and Rob Zombie had a baby. It was super interesting. Kept my attention the whole time. Amazing transitions between almost classical to almost metal. Cool voice. Cool production. Cool guitar sound. I will never be able to get into foreign language music unfortunately.

Much too Heavy and Foriegn for me. Did not like music and could not understand lyrics. Hard for me say anything positive.

Thoughts before listening: I have 0 frame of reference for this band and album. If its from 1989 I have to think its probably British and either Britpop or dance of some sort. I'm going in completely cold on this one. Review: So I was way off on my guess. Allmusic calls them "Swiss electro-noise terrorists", and this album is pretty out there. Apparently their claim to fame is incorporating samples into industrial noise rock...all things I typically wouldn't gravitate to. Carnival music with a Tom Waits reminiscent vocalist singing entirely in French that morphs into Nine Inch Nails-style industrial....I will give these guys credit for being interesting, but otherwise its just not for me. 2-stars

Some things transcend borders of nations, languages and cultures. They are true no matter where you are in the world. The happiness of a child’s laughter. The excitement found in seeing someone engage in feats of physical or mental excellence. The love of family and friends. And how industrial music is unlistenable garbage. Also, hot tip for all aspiring lead singers. If you sing in a scary monster voice, I’m not going to think you’re a scary monster. I know there’s not monsters on the world. I’m just going to think you suck.

Not for me

Like being in a haunted French circus. The guy's voice is great though, super deep.

Loved the lead singer’s voice

Jeez Louise… this sounds like Tom Waits fronting a French prog rock band. Nope.

5/10 Wanted to like this, and to be honest I might have, but the vocals kinda ruined it for me. Still glad to have heard it. Highlights: Pas mal Rue des tempêtes

this is what smoking cigarettes feels like

This is like french death metal or heavy metal. Reminds me a bit of Rammstein, Du Hast but French.

To be honest, the entire album vibe sounds like a circus gone wrong. I'm not fluent in French at all, so I have no clue what the lyrics are. Surely I can look it up... Anyway, from what I researched, this album is the band's only one sung in French. Which is intriguing because the band is based in Switzerland. I don't know, maybe ethnically the band has French ancestry somewhere in there. :p I digress, I would give the album a solid 5/10... Unfortunately, for some songs, I was kind of bored and never had that moment of being stunned, where I thought, "Oh my god, this song sounds really good, I have to add it to my liked songs." The one thing that saves the album from getting a 2 is the singer's husky-toned voice.

Best Song: Rue des Tempetes Not bad but the shit's in French

Ugh

I will probably never listen to this again but it was a real cool vibe with a unique sound that was their own.

I could hear their influence on bands like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Daughters. Also had vibe like Scott Walker's Drift at times.

Weird but kind of interesting

Rarete pero guay i guess. Igual no muy mi movida pero no tengo nada en contra de señores franceses gritando sobre música de feria en loop que se convierte en ruido y tal. No sé tendré que escucharlo más y mejor pero curioso. Lynchiano? Yo que sé me voy a la cama

Not great, not irredeemable.

Good lord the spotify biography this group wrote for themselves is some next level pretentious self fallatio bullshit. Its french industrial rock on synthesizers

L’Eau Rouge is a strange, confrontational listen, and I spent a fair chunk of it unsure whether I was enjoying myself or just intrigued. It is abrasive, theatrical, and unapologetically odd, throwing industrial textures, sampled orchestration, and hard riffs into a mix that should not really work. And yet, somehow, quite a lot of it does. Even when it feels chaotic, there is a confidence behind it that keeps pulling you forward. What really stood out for me was how uneven but compelling it is. Some tracks clicked immediately, driven by genuinely strong riffs and hooks buried under the noise, while others felt more like experiments I admired rather than wanted to revisit. The album shifts constantly between aggression and atmosphere, and when those elements align, it becomes genuinely gripping. There is a sense of danger and unpredictability here that makes the stronger moments hit harder. By the end, L’Eau Rouge left me feeling more impressed than converted, but impressed in a good way. It is not something I would put on casually or expect to love front to back, yet there is enough invention, attitude, and raw musical muscle to make it memorable. The weaker tracks do not undo the impact of the stronger ones, and the ambition alone carries a lot of weight.

that was unexpected

It’s so weird, but so interesting to listen to! I really don’t know if I like it, but I did like listening to it. I probably won’t hurry back, though. Best Track: Longue route

Late start today Merry Christmas Eve T1 that French? Alr. Definitely alternate, very excited. 1:18 is that Neil diamond? 3:20 what’s going on here. Very avant garde I enjoyed that experience. T2 didn’t enjoy as much. Definitely still feels like it’s part of a bigger experience though. Didn’t take any notes but had a lot of thoughts, wanted to experience the album first then see what I remember or do a second listen later for notes: I have yet to listen to the final 4 songs (all already in the album but these are different versions / variations). Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Maybe a 2.2/10 or even a little higher. Going to relisten to some songs before giving final rating tomorrow morning.

Meh

Some experiments land with me and some don't. This one is the latter. I don't like the vocals, the industrial style, and the auditory roughness. I tried to imagine hearing this live in some seedy Berlin club with all the right atmosphere, but in my mind's eye I was still waiting for the show to end. I respect experiments, but this feels unrefined and uncurated: a directly exposed experiment. I'm sure the creative process was fun, and I can respect this kind of work as a private or ephemeral moment. But in an album I expect that the artist doesn't subject me to the raw material, but rather takes the time to refine it. This misaligned expectation is probably why a lot of reviewers, like me, are having a hard time with this album.

No wonder French people are so rude. I’d be pissed too if this was the music coming out of my country.

This is a very strange album, I really wasn't sure what to do with this. It's almost vaudevillian at times, and I think the fact it's not in English didn't help at all. It was interesting though, I really liked it. I was just really caught off guard by it. Favorites: La fille de la mort, Ville Notre, L'Amourir

The first track's too long, then they find their groove, and then lose it again about three tracks from the end? There's really cool stuff on here, but the inconsistency and vocals (which I'd find goofy in English, too) 2.5*

i would love to like this, but in fact, i just don't.

It’s like Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, and Tom Waits had an unholy French baby.

I was not fucking w it it was way too long but the transitions were cool

Surprisingly good for a french language industrial rock record.

Not quite my tempo.

Wow! An album that leaves me gobsmacked! 😶 French nu metal ? Show tunes on the Seine? I need more

Definitely interesting. Dark, heavy, LOUD carnival music. Guttural. Some cool riffs but not a big fan of his voice (or French people). I'm going to go with 3 because I've never heard anything like this. Gonna pass on the bonus tracks though.

At first I thought it was someone making fun of the French accent because it seemed so over the top to be true, but it wasn't. Also the first song maybe two, not bad but then it was this death metal with a sleazy french men breathing down my neck. Felt a little more like a horror movie and what a French serial killer would play for this victims. I will give it a 2 only because it was musical at least and didn't hurt my ears, it just gave me straight up creep vibes.

This feels like my ears are being raped. Some French (Sorry, Swiss) guy and his toothless bad breath is forcing himself on me while screaming whatever the fuck pops into his head. I closed my eyes and dissociated until it was over. There’s some cool instrumentation going on, particularly on Les enfants, but ultimately it is all just too angry and sinister for me. Won’t revisit this unless I someday find the courage to go to therapy and work beyond the trauma of it.

What a soundtrack to a Christmas shopping morning lol. The timing isn’t their fault but hmm. This was unique. I didn’t dislike it as much as I thought I would, but I’d also never choose to listen again. But there was also something likable enough in its ridiculousness that I can’t give it a 2.

Sounds like a better version of Tom Waits.

It’s crazy, honestly it’s a tad like a french depeche mode, I can’t really immerse myself in it, but I realise the language barrier too, I don’t think it’s one of the worst albums on the list 3/5

This sucked.

I don't need to hear this ever again. Or even really for a first time.

Den här cirkusen har spårat ur.

Eerie, Cinematic, gives 80s black metal vibes.

Interesting

meh it wasn't great

It’s not the worst album I’ve gotten, but it’s pretty bad overall. I managed to finish it, but damn I wish I had bailed sooner. 1.75 / 5

tried a couple tracks Concluded that it was indeed french

French Tom Waits be like hon hon hon le chien de pleut

good

Some harsh reviews here. Look I get that an experimental Swiss cabaret industrial act is going to be a slightly harder sell for some people. But The Young Gods were incredibly influential in their time. They reached everyone from Bowie to Mike Patton, Nine Inch Nails to the Chemical Brothers. I suspect that this is one of those albums that was a lot more influential upon release than it feels now but credit where its due for pushing forward the genre. As the lyrics are in French, I have limited ability to break them down here. Except to say that the title track is apparently a song about menstruation, which is definitely not what I would have expected. Overall, an interesting piece of industrial history, if not the best example of it.

We were somewhere around 3 and a half minutes into French class when the drugs began to take hold.

#791. Don't know how i managed to never listen to them before, but somehow I haven't. I should have though, because it's great. 4/5: great

- onkohan ollu ihan viittä vailla että lähteekö tää vai rammstein lentoon - ihan väkevää musisointia, kyllä mä luulen et jos olisin tutustunut young godsiin jossain vähän eri elämänvaiheessani, esimerkiksi nuorempana kun industrial enempi kiinnosteli ni olisin saattanut kuunnella enemmänki - mielenkiintosia nää sirkusmusiikki vaikutteet mitä joissain biiseissä on selkeesti - longue route kunnon tykittelyä

one of the worst on this list...

Weird album, but I respect it! I don’t know French, but this had some cool sounds.

How is this album on the list? Only the accompaniments save "L'Eau Rouge" from being irredeemably terrible. The singer's voice sounds so off-putting. Why didn't the Young Gods make this album without vocals? You're better off listening to Godflesh. 2 stars for "L'Eau Rouge".

Not for me. At a push, Track 2 & 5 guitaer was good.

Awful. This is mostly noise and goes on for ages with no improvement

Some French dude screaming? Nah, not my tempo. At times, the music wasn't unlistenable, though.

Absolutely fuck off with this

p614. 1989. 2 stars. Evidence, if it were needed, that the French can't rock. It sounds like hybrid between Meatloaf and Phantom of the Opera. In French. Nope.

Not bad

A fusion of Theatrical and dark industrial. What might happen if Al Jourgensen of Ministry and Angine de Poitrine got together and had a evil musical love child. It's definitely interesting and dark, but it's not compelling enough for me to come back.

The first song pretty much gave me an anxiety attack when I thought I'd listen to it on the train home, not an experience I'd recommend. What bothered me most throughout the entire album was the lead singer's voice. If it was sometimes used like this on certain lines to define them more or something like that, I would have preferred. But constantly listening to that voice, my god, I hated. I did like the ambience of the songs (except the first one because of the pure stress it triggered in me lol), but it was just ruined whenever he opened his mouth. So I'm giving one point for the instrumentals

The opening track is an anxiety attack in a bottle. Afterwards we have the second track which is my favorite of the album and one I actually really like. After that we have a bunch of songs, some I somewhat like, some I somewhat dislike. This one is hard to rate, I would give it a 2.5 but I can't unfortunately. I would probably never think to play this album in it's entirety again and if it is being played I would probably switch it to something else after the first half of the album is done playing, so I'm giving it a 2.

I'm sorry, but I only listened to the first two songs, and then I'd had absolutely enough. What is this supposed to be? Some kind of noise that causes ear cancer? So, thanks. Rate it? I'll give it my favorite rating of one star, which could also mean minus five.

2 artsy

Some good rock, but the French sounds odd

6 / 10

Great album. Loud, angry (I assume - have no idea what he's actually singing), eclectic. Loved it. Never would have listened to it if not for this project.

French Industrial ... like it! Best album this week!

French circus grunge growling? I can't believe I listened to the whole thing.