Hangman's Chair : the doom metal at its best melancolia with 'Saddiction'

Doom metal band Hangman's Chair released their new opus Saddiction on February 14, 2025. For the occasion, Julien Chanut (guitar player) and Cédric Toufouti (singer and guitar player) answered some of our questions (and we share the interview with you here).

Photo : Andy Julia

If in October 2024 we were able to discover the track 2 AM Thoughts with DOOL featuring, it's Kowloon Nights, released in November, that announced the album. Its title directly echoes the Chinese city destroyed in the 90s, and shows us the color of the album through a 3D clip by Dehn Sora.

We find the band's typical sound, mixed with the shoegaze wave of the moment, giving an even heavier atmosphere. But this typical sound wouldn't be there without Francis Caste, the band's engineer who has worked on every one of their albums.

But if we recognize them in the ambience, we also recognize them in the lyrics and themes tackled: traumas, addictions, negative introspection... The lyrics reveal a deep sense of malaise, and a questioning of today's society and our place in it.

The track Canvas offers us a more positive outlook, with almost a message of hope in its lyrics such as: “It took a while to rest and realize, That what ends is just a fresh start”. The end is just a rebirth. But it would seem that this is the one and only track with this message, because even Healed? which can be seen in a very positive light, remains ambiguous. We vacillate between the possibility or otherwise of being 'healed' one day. And that's a question we asked in our interview (available below).

This album, with its raging riffs and deep sadness, is the perfect addition to the band's discography. The album's perhaps heavier ambience should be a marvel to experience live, which we recommend you do on one of the dates listed below:

27/03 - Feyzin (FR) - L’Epicerie Moderne w/ Fange

29/03 - Tours (FR) - Le Temps Machine w/ Fange

05/04 - Bethune (FR) - Le Poche w/ Fange

06/04 - Ris Orangis / Le Plan - We Metal Fest w/ Fange

11/04 - La Rochelle (FR) - La Sirène w/ Fange

12/04 - Creil (FR) - La Grange à Musique w/ Fange

22/05 - Strasbourg (FR) - La Maison Bleue w/ Fange

23/05 - Dijon (FR) - La Vapeur w/ Fange

24/05 - Magny Le Hongre - File 7 w/ Fange

17/08 - Carhaix (FR) - Motocultor Festival