Novelists

About Novelists

Novelists started in 2013 in Paris, which makes sense given how much French metalcore has punched above its weight in the past decade. The band began with that classic progressive metalcore template—technical riffing, djent-adjacent low end, clean-dirty vocal interplay—but they had enough melodic sensibility to stand out from the pack. Their early EPs caught attention in the scene, but it was their 2015 debut album Souvenirs that really established what they were capable of.

Souvenirs had that ambitious quality where you could tell the band was reaching for something beyond standard metalcore tropes. Tracks like Twenty Years and The Light, the Fire connected because they balanced aggression with actual hooks, and original vocalist Mattéo Gelsomino had a clean vocal style that leaned more toward alternative rock than the typical metalcore approach. The album got them on tours and festivals across Europe, building a solid following among people who wanted their breakdowns served with some compositional ambition.

Then came the lineup changes. Gelsomino left in 2017, which could have derailed everything. Instead, they brought in Tobias Rische, and the transition proved surprisingly seamless. Noir, released in 2017 with Rische on vocals, showed a band refining their sound rather than rebuilding it. The production was tighter, the songwriting more focused. Monochrome and Heal were standouts—songs that kept the technical proficiency but didn't sacrifice momentum for the sake of showing off.

By the time C'est La Vie dropped in 2017 as a standalone single, then 2020's full-length of the same name arrived, Novelists had developed a distinct identity. C'est La Vie the album leaned further into atmospheric elements and alternative metal textures without losing the heaviness. Modern Slave and Somebody Else found them experimenting with electronics and song structures that felt less predictable than their earlier work. Catalyst became a fan favorite for good reason—it builds tension like they actually understand dynamics instead of just alternating between heavy and not-heavy.

Their 2022 album Lemongrass continued that evolution. Title track aside, songs like Stardust and Heal showed a band comfortable moving between moods and intensities without feeling like they were just checking boxes. The progressive metal elements became more integrated rather than just technical flex moments.

Right now, Novelists sit in that interesting zone where they're respected in the metalcore world but also appeal to people who've aged out of wanting every song to sound like a panic attack. They've survived the lineup change that kills most bands, consistently improved their songwriting, and managed to stay relevant without chasing trends. They tour steadily, their albums get decent streaming numbers, and they've built the kind of catalog where longtime fans have deep cuts they'll defend. Not a household name, but a band that matters to the people paying attention.

Their shows are tight, focused affairs where technical precision doesn't sacrifice energy. The crowd is usually devoted fans who know every note, creating this weird concentrated atmosphere. They don't require massive production to land—just good monitors and room to execute.

Known for Souvenirs, Drowning, Frame of Mind, Catalyst, Stardust

See Novelists Live