ADX – Non Serviam

One of the absolute perks of this job is all those hidden gems my boss seems to throw at me at regular intervals. No matter how many records I listen to, there are always a few of those hiddens gems that seem to pop up every now and again. In this case it is Non Serviam, the tenth studio album from French eighties Heavy Metallers ADX. Now, it should be noted that I seem to have developed a fetish for almost anything French these days, and ADX is not really an exception (but the fact that they have their roots back in the early Heavy Metal days is an obvious factor as well). Musically, there is virtually nothing that I can point at on this album that I do not like: In many ways it still encompasses the sound of the genre back from when the band was first conceived. The instruments are kept simple, repetitive, catchy and, above all, in excellent synch with the vocal track. It is very clear that the band has been at it for a long time (meaning that the 30-some years of experience makes themselves clear; Or heard, as the case may be), and that they still enjoy what they do immensely. From what I have been able to gather (with no small amount of help from the bands record label), ADX is a cult band that never really became famous outside of their native country; Hence, all the tracks are performed and delivered in French. That being said, I would like to take this chance to introduce as many old-school Heavy Metal fans as possible to this easily-overlookable band, since tracks such as ”La Mort En Face” are meant to be heard, and meant to be heard loud (regardless of whether or not you understand the language). All in all, these five Frenchmen have pooled together their vast amount of experience to bring forth a small shard of the past, more specifically the eighties. And it is very much appreciated.

http://a-d-x.ch/non-serviam/