Split Brain

SPLIT BRAIN releases “DE LA COLÈRE À LA HAINE,” 27th september, the first single and music video from the metal album “ÉCRASÉS PAR NOTRE HÉRITAGE,” available at the end of October.

Between chiaroscuro and psychological tension, SPLIT BRAIN takes us on a descent into hell, the passage from anger to hatred.

“What can make us tip over? A broken promise? A dream turned into a utopia?” asks Rémi, lead singer of SPLIT BRAIN. “Sharp riffs, a heavy drumbeat, and vocals full of anger convey this state of mind. While the melodic and almost dance-like bridge seems to bring relief, it’s only to explode further. Has hatred taken control?”

The video, directed by Kévin Merriaux (Freehowling, Beyond the Styx, Souffre…), highlights the dark and profound themes addressed in the song, particularly emotional transformation and how anyone can tip over into hatred. The staging is brutal and contrasted, in line with the music and lyrics. It features a main character grappling with his own demons, an individual losing control.

Three key visual elements in the video:

• The drain symbolizes the descent into hell, representing dark and destructive emotions.
• The mirror reflects the different facets of the character, played by the band members, and embodies the confrontation with oneself.
• The mysterious character, representing inner demons, watches and interacts discreetly, intensifying the confusion and loss of control.

Finally, the abstract ending of the video intentionally leaves the door open for interpretation: has hatred ultimately triumphed? Or does this mysterious character embody an unfinished struggle? The viewer is left with this enigma, without a clear answer but with the feeling of having witnessed a universal internal battle.

Kévin Merriaux explains: “The goal for shooting the video ‘From Anger to Hatred’ was to integrate both the musicians and a powerful storytelling element, to highlight each band member as well as a fictional character, the avatar. The video’s aesthetic is akin to a horror movie, with a cold and oppressive atmosphere to enhance the intensity of the music. I focused on close-ups and harsh lighting with bright flashes to create a strong visual contrast, playing on chiaroscuro.”

SPLIT BRAIN stands out by using French in a thrash and death metal genre, bringing a unique identity to their creations. Through compositions that are both powerful and melodic, the band explores deep themes such as heritage, individual and collective responsibility, and the evolution of emotions.

De la colère à la haine
Bonheur, malheur
Tout va si bien
Douceur et pleurs
Tout est si bien
On a tous cru à sa fin
Certains y ont vu l’espoir
D’autres ont continué leur larcin
Et quelle surprise on va se décevoir
Tout chambouler pour un nouvel ordre
Quelle ironie, quel beau troupeau
Recentrer nos vies pour un temps si court
Quelle ironie, acte manqué
De la colère à la haine
Bonheur, malheur
Tout va si bien
Douceur et pleurs
Tout est si bien
Du plaisir à la torture
Qui traduit toutes nos peines
De la colère à la haine
Qui gangrène cette imposture

Tout chambouler pour un nouvel ordre
Quelle ironie, quel beau troupeau
Recentrer nos vies pour un temps si court
Quelle ironie, acte manqué

Croître / Mensonge
Croire / Pouvoir
Crime / Savoir
Quel bonheur
Croître / Mensonge
Croire / Pouvoir
Crime / Savoir
Quel bonheur
Tout chambouler pour un nouvel ordre
Quelle ironie, quel beau troupeau
Recentrer nos vies pour un temps si court
Quelle ironie, acte manqué
Tout chambouler pour un nouvel ordre
Quelle ironie, quel beau troupeau
Recentrer nos vies pour un temps si court
Quelle ironie, acte manqué
De la colère à la haine

Lyrics and Music by Rémi Pierre, Frédéric Acx, Nicolas Dijoux, Damien Marchant and Nicolas Jeanneteau – Published by Éditions AMOC

SPLIT BRAIN presents an innovative fusion of thrash and death metal. The band stands out by using French for their lyrics, which gives their music a unique lyrical dimension and a strong cultural grounding.

The album “Écrasés par notre Héritage” by the French band SPLIT BRAIN delves into a range of deep and varied themes, exploring the evolution of emotions through tracks like “De la Colère à la Haine,” which addresses the shift from one emotional state to another, or “Acteurs de notre Déchéance,” which questions personal responsibility and the quest for self, offering a reflection on our role in the events of our lives. “Are we actors in our lives or mere spectators in the lives of others?” wonders Rémi, the band’s singer and lyricist. The irony of the album’s opening track “Il paraît qu’on a déjà tout dit” sets the tone, but SPLIT BRAIN definitely has things to say and to be heard!

“Une fuite en avant” embodies an urgent reaction to adversity, followed by “Et alors on s’élèvera…” which seems to offer hope of transcendence or liberation despite disillusionment. There’s a gentleness to the weighty messages. The melancholy of the instruments is complemented by the almost religious vocals. “Et alors on s’élèvera” as a warning or an inevitability? “Pourquoi ?!!”, the turning point is reached, everyone is involved and will be affected. The soaring guitars sound like sirens warning us, but it’s too late, as the raspy and disenchanted vocals make clear. For a moment, we think we can regain control, but the sirens are already there… “We are condemned”… And we depart, slowly, carried by the bell that seems to compel us to move forward…

The track “Jusqu’à se consumer” marks the inevitable end. It’s over! Life is no more, the violence of the departure is such that it quickly becomes clear that everything has changed. Everything happens so fast, and there’s no going back. Yet, in a moment of lucidity, it’s still possible to take stock. This moment of nostalgia, contrasting with the brutality of the moment, seems frozen in time with these acoustic guitars from another era, completed by an unfiltered, unembellished slam.

With soothing acoustic guitars, the instrumental “Reprendre notre Souffle” offers a moment of contemplative pause.

As the title suggests, the album also reflects on the influence of the past, addressing the repercussions of history on the present and the emotions they evoke, and concludes with a reflection on what we will leave to future generations: “What will they believe?”.

Together, these tracks form a meditation on the human condition, individual responsibility, and the search for meaning. As Rémi explains: “As the father of a seven-year-old daughter, I realize how much we are dependent on what we have done before. Our heritage is rich but so heavy.”

Recorded with spontaneous live takes and in analog at Studio 180 with Arnaud Bascuñana (Damien Saez, Matthieu Chédid, Les Wampas, United Guitars), the band focused on details, surprises, and extraordinary arrangements. “It was in a climate of serenity that we were able to tackle more complex technical aspects, push more boundaries, and be more daring. The analog recording, often found in Juste Une Trace productions, was chosen to give the sound a very particular texture for death metal,” explains the singer.

Through this blend of thrash and melodic death metal, SPLIT BRAIN’s album “Écrasés par notre Héritage” layers rage and reflection, melodies and audacity.