EXIT EDEN – Femmes Fatales (2024) *HQ*

The queens of the current symphonic metal are united again into EXIT EDEN for new album entitled “Femmes Fatales“. Consisting of Clémentine Delauney (VISIONS OF ATLANTIS), Anna Brunner (LEAGUE OF DISTORTION), and Marina La Torraca (PHANTOM ELITE), EXIT EDEN new album “Femmes Fatales” arrives with twelve songs in total – half covers, half own compositions.
The original compositions were written by Anna Brunner and Hannes Braun (KISSIN’ DYNAMITE) who also produced & mixed the album. The covers include some amazing versions of JOURNEY’s classic ‘Separate Ways’, ALICE COOPER’s ‘Poison’, HEART’s ‘Alone’, MARILLION’s ‘Kayleigh’ and more.
“Femmes Fatales” is a fantastic, deliciously crafted melodic, commercial-catchy capitalizing these excellent female voices and lavishly produced with a shining sound.

When Clémentine Delauney, Anna Brunner, Marina La Torraca, and Amanda Somerville came together to form EXIT EDEN, topped by the release of their first album, “Rhapsodies in Black,” in the summer of 2017, it became immediately clear that this combination would be both powerful and magical.
These four outstanding and independent female vocalists proved that symphonic heaviness can go hand in hand with rock&pop music – dressing well-known classics in a yet unheard soundscape, and evoking more than just a covers album.

Now performing as a trio, EXIT EDEN‘s new full-length follows the path of its predecessor, as it contains six cover versions of famous cross-generational super-hits, but this time also shines by offering six original compositions.
With one exception (“Dying in my Dreams,” co-written by Marina La Torraca), the remaining five original songs were brought to life by Anna Brunner and Hannes Braun (KISSIN’ DYNAMITE), who is also responsible for recording, production, and mixing, whereas the album was mastered by Jacob Hansen (DELAIN, AMARANTHE, and many more).

Self-confidently leading straight into the tempting world of EXIT EDEN, opening “Femme Fatale,” “Buried in the Past” and “Hold Back Your Fear” conjure a mystical atmosphere with strings and orchestral elements, topped by complementary vocals uniting the sonic diversity of the all-femme trio.
“Dying In My Dreams” and album-closing “Elysium” are captivating mid-tempo tracks with intense choruses that speak straight to the heart.
‘Run!’ features former Nightwish bassist/singer Marko Hietala, and was practically a no-brainer as he fits this material perfectly, with the song reminding me of recent Nightwish tracks that followed the Tarja-era.

The standout amongst the new tracks is ‘Buried in the Past’, a song I can easily have seen making it onto a Kissin’ Dynamite album due to lead singer Hannes Braun’s involvement in the construction of this album. The keyboard melody throughout creates a sense of triumph and strength to match the lyrics of overcoming one’s past to move on to greener pastures. Inspirational in all the right ways.

Moving further along the path where “Rhapsodies in Black” left off, EXIT EDEN picked the next selection of international super-hits – transforming them into their very own creation, yet still paying reverence to the originals on “Femmes Fatales.”
“It’s a Sin” (PET SHOP BOYS), “Separate Ways” (JOURNEY), “Desanchantée” (Mylène Farmer), “Poison” (Alice Cooper), “Alone” (HEART) and “Kayleigh” (MARILION), re-arranged as undoubtebly striking pop metal compositions, form the common thread between the debut and “Femmes Fatales.”

The band takes on what I would consider to be an unconventional track with Alice Cooper’s ”Poison”. Exit Eden manages to take an overplayed song and infuse it with orchestral overtones to make it sound fresh. It is certainly not a carbon copy and I can always appreciate a cover that has a vastly different approach in its execution.
Speaking of overplayed, we now move on to the band’s cover of Journey’s ‘Separate Ways’. Yes, it is a well-done cover.

With stellar vocals, strong songs, and high-quality production, EXIT EDEN have crafted another standout album that absolutely succeeds in expanding the identity of the supergroup even more, and gives fans the chance to experience three of the most beautiful and talented women in metal united as one on “Femmes Fatales.”
Highly Recommended

01. Femme Fatale
02. It’s A Sin (Pet Shop Boys cover)
03. Run! — featuring Marko Hietala
04. Separate Ways (Journey cover)
05. Buried In The Past
06. Désenchantée (Mylene Farmer cover)
07. Dying In My Dreams
08. Poison (Alice Cooper cover)
09. Alone (Heart cover)
10. Hold Back Your Fear
11. Kayleigh (Marilion cover)
12. Elysium

Vocals: Clémentine Develay Thieux
Vocals: Anna Brunner
Vocals: Marina La Torraca

Pre order:
napalmrecords.com/exit-eden