TORQUEMADRA
Artist
THE CHAPEL OF EXQUISES ARDENTS PEARS
Release Date
20 May 2017
Crew
Music The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears / Recording Jérémy Borowski / Sound Assistant Valentin Pizelle / Mixing Studioblanche / Mastering Steve Whitfield / Illustration Abdesselam Boutadjine / Layout Maxime Cousseran
Two bands, seven musicians, and two days in a studio.
In 2016, the English band Stems joined the French band Anathème in their studio.
From 2015, since their first collaboration on a filmed live recording session, they decided to create a band together in spite of distance and availability, The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears.
TorqueMadra talks about the strength of freedom of thought, freedom to believe or not, freedom to create in a hostile environment, and the repetitiveness of the report between oppression and consequences.
PRESS REVIEWS
« This short EP makes a sizeable impact with its sheer amount of passion, two bands combining to become one, marrying each other’s sounds to make something entirely new.
The payoff is monumental. It’s a dense sound, smothering your ears with their instrumental orgy. »
— Arctic Drones (International) – 01/08/2017
« Two bands, seven musicians and two days in a studio resulted in that masterpiece of an EP. »
— Fuzz and Reverse (Brazil) – 30/04/2017
« Sometimes a collaboration is more than just a collaboration, it’s a statement. And even though this blended band doesn’t make its statement explicit, the friendship between France’s Anathème and the U.K.’s Stems underlines the thought that Brexit is a very bad idea. Separately, each band is distinctively different from The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears. Anathème falls on the louder end of post-rock, Stems on the quieter. Stems brings the strings, Anathème the crescendos.
Together, they create something more than the sum of its parts: energetic yet contemplative, reasoned yet raucous.
Why would anyone build a wall between them or make it more difficult for them to see one another ~ like the parents of Romeo and Juliet?
Don’t let it end here, and don’t let Brexit get you down! »
— A Closer Listen (US) – 16/07/2017
« The pleasure the seven musicians take in playing together is evident, and makes us forget the experimental side of TorqueMadra, to only retain the innovative character. The alliance of the two bands has a unique charm, between emotion and explosion.
The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears seems to possess enough driving force to give a new orientation to post-rock. »
Gezeitenstrom Musik (Germany) – 21/06/2017
« Besides the originality of the band name and the sublime artwork, the super-group does not just mix the universes of their respective two collectives, but offers a unique style.
TorqueMadra is a delight of softness and subtlety. »
— New Musical Horizon (Belgium) – 02/05/2017
«Stems and Anathème’s aerial frolics give birth to a new post-rock monument: The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears. »
— Records Are Better Than People (France) – 24/07/2017
« From the meeting of neo-classical beauty of the English band Stems and the luminous post-rock of the French band Anathème, The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears was born.
A wonderful formation that has just released its first EP, the sublime TorqueMadra. »
— Totoromoon (France) – 10/05/2017
« An album full of amazement and surreal beauty! Here's TorqueMadra by The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears. »
— Wherepostrockdwells (India) – 20/07/2017
« Sometimes collaboration between bands leads to really amazing results. The contemplative side, linked to classical Stems music, made of arpeggios and the majestic cello sound, are getting married with the kinetic energy of Anathème bringing it to a new and exalting level.
Just over twenty minutes are perhaps too short to shout at the miracle. Or maybe not… An indispensable listening to those who love post-rock and neighbouring areas. »
— Grind On The Road (Italy) – 27/07/2017
« The Chapel of Exquises Ardents Pears consists of gifted musicians who can do their own thing on a lonely high level within their respective bands, Anathème and Stems.
The combination of these rare talents in post-rock and related genres concocts a magical trip through intimate moments and deafening threats that alternate each other in a wave of climaxes. This makes the listener go into a trance out of which he does not want to escape.
Extra-terrestrial? Probably. You don’t often come across these kinds of musical jewels. Totally impressive! »
