WAKE UP CALL: reviews

WAKE UP CALL - "7 PRE-APOCALYPTIC ANTHEMS"
I’d read reviews on French trio Wake Up Call prior to receiving a copy of their EP. I was told they run rings around the likes of Virus 23 and make Marilyn Manson look like pussies. Also being compared to Hole, vocalist, Michelle - with her intensity and tormented passion - makes Courtney look like a whining child. Describing Wake Up Call’s sound is difficult to achieve, they’ll be tossed into the alternative arena for sure, but there’s much more to this band. Their sound is a crossover of Goth, Punk and Industrial and their ability to switch between passive/aggressive moments in tracks like "Sedate", show the tight musicianship between the three members (also including Candy - guitar and Eddie - drums. ). This cd is a must have for all you lovers of the dark side. -BEK-
Aug 98

First Impression:
At first I thought, here is your typical Nine Inch Nails copy band but as I listened more, I was very intreged and very impressed. This is a very diverse band with an focus on being different but still knowing what it takes to get airplay or better said, to get heard! I'm impressed! There is some very good musicianship on here and alot of thought into the music on this CD. If you get a chance, catch "Wake Up Call". I think it'll be worth your while!
Favorites:
Redneck 100 - This song comes out and smacks you in the face right away. There is no doubt after this one what is in store for the rest of the CD! Nice openning song.
Stitch - Here is a perfect example of the Nine Inch Nails sound. This song moved right along. Nice!
Last Reward - Great unplugged sound on this one. Nice work of the string section and the vocal arrangements (and harmony) are execellent! This is one of my favorites on the CD.
Shooting $** - Great use of the vocals on this one! Nice break down in the verse and then kicking your ass with the chorus!
Closer, Closest - With an intersting piano interlude, this one caught my attention right away. With an erie feel, this would be a great horror movie song!
This CD is recorded with good quality and the production is very good. - Sticks
June 98

Wake Up Call - 7 Pre-Apocalyptic Anthems.
Welcome to the dark eerie world of Wake Up Call's demo "7 Pre-Apocalyptic Anthems" featuring the growling screamer Michelle on vocals, Candy on guitar and Eddie on drums plus electronic technology to fill in preemptive gaps. This their third demo, Wake Up Call describes their music as "passive/aggressive duality with an alternation of depression and violence". Hard to categorize, this music is, to say the least, intriguing, raw to the core and very carnal. You can sense the frustration in the songwriting and the interpretations reek of passionate cynicism with a touch of sarcasm. Very Hole-ish with a good attempt at balladry. Not for the timid, and a great alternative metal band. Check 'em out and let 'em wake YOU up at Wake Up Call or email them at wakeupcall@infonie.fr - Sandy Serge
Dec 97

Tight musicianship & kickass screaming female vocals propel this Goth-like group into the beyond. Quiet & sinuous treachery blasts into frenzied punky aggression with electric guitars, drums & synths chuggin' out the chunky riffs. I can't really describe it too easily, but it's kind of like a cross between Punk, Goth, Industrial and sort of an old 4AD RECORDS sound with typical angst-ish lyrics on a bed of nails. There's also a lite, guitar-strum song that made me think of some weird folky band like say... ORAL CONSTITUTION or something. Overall, a pretty good effort with room to grow. Let's watch.
Sept 97

check out the Chaos Control site for a ~~wake up call~~ interview.

Wake Up Call are a highly original French trio whose music blends together elements of many different genres. Their music always has a very dark sound, but Wake Up Call manage to smoothly shift between aggressive metal riffs and quiet melodic passages. - Bob Gourley.
Aug 97

Wake Up Call are a French trio, comprised of Michelle (vox), Candy (guitar) and Eddie (drums). Describing their sound is challenging at best.. Elements from industrial, gothic and noisy alternative are all present and mixed up into a pretty unique sound.

"Redneck 100" kicks things off, with a strange, warbly vocal effect that gives it a bit of a goth vibe, probably my least fave track. Things improve considerably with "Godspit" which takes on a more straight-forward approach, with distorted vocals and some Skold-like guitar riffs. This is Wake Up Call at their best, showing their ability to write memorable choruses with a nod to bands like Hole in terms of intensity. "Stitch" includes some more punk elements, making the acoustic guitar intro to "Last Reward" that much more of a surprise. This latter track is probably the most unusual track (and one of the best) and demonstrates the band's ability to cover different styles effectively. On "Sedate," the clean guitar intro is a nice touch, then the band proceed in a very TDS-era NIN direction with the rest of song, alternating between soft and heavy parts. "Closer, Closest" closes the CD with a somber, minimal atmosphere (again) reminiscent of NIN's "Something I Can Never Have."

I haven't heard much from the electro or goth scene in France, though I know it exists. Wake Up Call (great name) have put together a well-constructed demo CD of material that should definitely appeal to fans of electro with more of an alternative edge - [Daniel Hinds]
June 97

The band Wake up Call have recorded an album titled 7 Pre- Apocalyptic Anthems. It contains seven themes, with a total time of 35 minutes. The music is an interesting combination of alternative Rock, near to Heavy Metal, and several elements of sonic experimentation. Some pieces or parts of these keep away from this line, as for example "Closer, Closest", an electronic, melodic, symphonic and mysterious composition - J.M.
June 97

Imagine yourself as a piece of black coal sentenced for eternity in the barren snowscapes of Siberia, then imagine yourself with no arms and legs, dangling by the nape of your collar for hours over a black bottomless pit. Then top it off with a game of russian roulette and your God played a joke on you saying that in this particular game - you can never die and the chamber could always have the next bullet! If you have imagined this well, then you have imagined the intensity of Wake Up Call! Disturbing and moving cannot begin to describe the power within this group's music. I was devastated by the subtle drones of the tormented whimperings of lead vocalist Michelle. Her own lyrical anguish did not need to be audible to get the sense of her world view of a hopeless reality and life's cynicism. The repetitive tonal patterns formed by orchestral instruments were indeed hypnotic and will chill you to the bone.

Have you gone to hell and died yet?

Wake Up! This band is absolutely brutal and it will scrape the innards of your cranium,leaving you cringing for more sonic abuse! Obviously, WUCs music has not been cleared for home radio use! My CD player needs to be rehauled after the first 3 songs. This band makes Marilyn Manson look like the poseurs they really are. No kidding - this band is for real and they take no prisoners! I use to think that virus 23 was the future of new industrial, but WUC pisses on them like grass seed. When it came to the production - it really didn't matter! All I wanted to do was deliver throat kicks to anyone within arms-length. I call this shit "Black Industrial!" It's not for the suburban jock or the Nine-Inch Nails glee club - this CD called 7- Apocalyptic Anthems by Wake up Call is for those who have already died and gone to hell...
I'll meet you there! - T2
May 97

Can you say noise disturbance? 100% controlled violence!!!. Loud guitars and hellish screams ; sometimes etheric melodies to subdue the beast within. Their core music construction often has a duality strain that is balanced by depression and violence. WUC's music translates in a sound that reflects a scorned band who felt they have been pissed on. The world and life itself is absurd, and the words dreams and hopes become synonymous with uselessness. It would be a shame to tag this radio-oriented French dark band fronted by a dark angel, but they make MM easily smell like children. Their CD import will be found here first in America! Very bad ass and belongs in your pathetic CD player! So be the first on your block to own a CD from the most kickass band in France!
May 97

Unbelievably incredible. Mind blowing music for the dark side of you. A must listen to band from France. We have only heard soundclips so far but are ready to promote the hell outta this band. EXCELLENT!!!
May 97