Kill The Princess
Bitter Smile
First self-produced album by the french combo Kill The Princess, Bitter Smile promises to shake up its listeners. The band tackles sensitive themes such as bullying (Inanimate toy, Snakes), gender stereotypes (Playing dolls) and toxic masculinity (To the grave, Lies). It also explores more introspective subjects such as mental burden and combativeness (Running after time), childhood traumas (Nightmare) and the struggle to defend art and artists (Dreamer knight, The weak man). Bitter Smile doesn't just shine a light on society's problems, however, it also offers moments of hope and struggle, like in the interlude Changemakers, which celebrates the determination of feminist activists. Musically, this 10 tracks reveal a rock aesthetic with pop and alternative metal influences like Paramore, Guano Apes or Muse. The band strikes incisive guitar riffs, rocks a bass as heavy as groovy and drums with infallible energy. Everything is carried by a voice that is both rebellious and deep. Listening to Bitter Smile, we immediately understand that Kill The Princess is certainly a surly band. No wonder then that we find it under the lens of photographer and musician Gabbie Burns (MADAM). This grunge shoot is in total cohesion with the drawing of Cerise La Castagne which signs the cover of the album but the highlight of the show remains to be discovered on stage. With their electrifying rock and their strong commitment, Kill The Princess asserts itself with an album that will leave no one indifferent. Bitter Smile is a call to awareness and action.