This album really confused me. The band doesn't play something that can be categorized. Someone may find that good, some others bad. But who are ETHS? And why they are introduced to the world with their second album and not their first one as the majority of the bands?

ETHS are based in Marseille, France. The band formed in 1996 under the name of MELTING POINT, but after three years they changed it to the one they use until now. It took them four years to release their first EP, Samantha. With that release they started to make their name heard in France and Belgium. In 2004, and after a lot of live shows,  it was time for their debut album - Soma - to see the light. After a tour in their homeland, Belgium and Switzerland they hit the studio to record Teratologie, after signing a contract with Season Of Mist.

Now, why they introduce themselves with this album and not with one of their previous releases? Well, the lyrics are in French only! That's why ETHS are known to French-speaking countries. And this is a reason that someone may not give them a chance. To tell you the truth, it was strange to me too, to listen to someone growling in French. As for the music itself, if we try to put a label ETHS are playing something between nu-Metal and Metalcore, with some gothic and avant-garde elements. Candice's voice is nice, one of the strong elements of the band, and the clean vocals fit well with the structure of the song, plus she is doing some of the growling parts too. As for the riffs, they sound like early SLIPKNOT and KORN, but they have these gothic fills that make the songs more interesting. One thing I didn't like is that most of the songs have similar construction. The songs I distinguished are Anima Exhalare, Teratologie and Hydracombustio.

Overall, Teratologie is a descent album. It may remind you of something that you heard before but it will keep your interest, if you don't have any problem listening to French. But I believe that ETHS have to take more risks as far as the compositions concerns. They have the potentials, so we only have to wait and listen their next step.

 ETHS - NaOCl