EXISTANCE – Wildfire (2026) *HQ*
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First of all, excuse us EXISTANCE, as we never heard of you until now… Where were we? To be released tomorrow, ”Wildfire” is the fourth album from French melodic metal act EXISTANCE. And believe us, it’s a blast.
Formed in late 2008 by Julian Izard (vocals / guitar), EXISTANCE is one of the most active French bands from the underground metal scene. After a demo in 2010, followed by an EP, the band played numerous concerts throughout France and across Europe. In 2012, their EP was released on the German label High Roller Records.
In 2014, EXISTANCE signed with famous label Mausoleum Records for ‘Steel Alive’, their first full album, mastered in Los Angeles by Maor Appelbaum (Halford, Dokken, Yngwie Malmsteen). That same year, they appeared on the bill at various festivals alongside Saxon, Gamma Ray and Metal Church, and as the opening act for Adrian Vandenberg, Joe Lynn Turner, Skull Fist and Evil Invaders. After a 2016 album and more gigs, EXISTANCE’s true turning point was their last album 2021’s ‘Wolf Attack’.
New album ”Wildfire” to be released tomorrow is a blend of razor clean heavy guitars, a thumping rhythm section and powerful vocals / harmonies.
For the uninitiated, EXISTANCE pulls from a fairly wide span of 80s hard rock and heavy metal, which gives them a bit more diversity than others out there. You’ve got songs that are faster paced and amp up the heaviness significantly, but there’s also a quite a few midtempo numbers that have a bit more of a hard rock / hair metal slant to them.
The back and forth between the heavier and melodic sides of the spectrum works very well and avoids the album from feeling like it’s repeating itself too often, and while you’ve heard all the styles Existance is pulling from many times before, they have the hooks to back it up.
I can appreciate that for every NWOBHM leaning lead there are dips into earlier 1990’s power metal and melodies that remind me of a cross between Whitesnake and Lizzy Borden. It helps that ”Wildfire” has a crisp and full production as well, allowing the melodies to fill the room while also letting the heavier moments have the impact they need.
Existance clearly knows that first impressions are important, so opener, title track ‘Wildfire’ goes all-in with soaring falsettos that showcase how much range Izard has in the course of a single song. Vocalist Julian Izard has been with the band since the very beginning, and he’s a distinct factor here. During the more melodic sections – there isn’t a ballad here, this is a rocking album – Izard also softens up his approach, reminding me a bit more of an AOR singer, but whether he’s offering up power on the heavy metal tracks or airier singing on the rock ones there’s consistency to the performance.
A few of the tracks slightly overstay their welcome, but overall Existance’s latest full length has plenty to offer listeners that enjoy everything 80s. There are just as many melodic hooks as heavy ones, and the fact that this album brings early 90s metal, melodic hard rock, and classic NWOBHM influences gives it an advantage over some of the other releases we heard recently.
Existance really blow me away from beginning to end, a band deserving to be heard by fans of the genre.
Highly Recommended
01 – Wildfire
02 – Ocean’s Cry
03 – Riding Fast
04 – Eternal Flame
05 – See the Light
06 – Against the World
07 – Love Affair
08 – Brighter Days
09 – Angel of Darkness
Julian Izard (vocals, guitars)
Antoine Poiret (guitars, backing vocals)
Julien Robillard (bass, backing vocals)
Gerry Carbonelle (drums)
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