Regard Extreme official site



BIOGRAPHY



Project founded in 1990 influenced by Dark underground scene and classical music.





Dark orchestral sound with a brooding martial quality



As a teenager around 1978, he started listening to chart music broadcasts. After several years of tuning into commercial radios, Fabien discovered another facet of the music scene: underground music. This was a fantastic opportunity to explore different musical expressions. This period also coincided with the boom of independent local radio stations in France during the 80s.


Fabien ceased his music studies and decided to host a radio show on an independent local radio station, “Radio Béton”. The goal was to promote underground music. For 10 years, he managed his radio show and interacted with numerous small bands and labels from the 80s. This provided him the opportunity to discover and promote a wide range of music styles such as Techno, Cold Wave, Minimalist, Neo Classical, Ethereal, Industrial, etc. After completing his studies, he ended his radio activities and decided to return to playing music.


In 1991, he purchased his first keyboard and began playing in his home studio: Regard Extreme was born. An initial contribution to a compilation, Freak Show, allowed R.E. to gain recognition and receive positive reviews.



In 1993, R.E. decided to compile some of his tracks into a first tape “Aux Morts”. The sound is sometimes primitive and is often far from the current R.E. sonorities. However, the beloved melodies of R.E. are already present. Over time, the style of R.E. evolved by incorporating new sounds like strings, heavy drums, and new choirs. This led to the release of a first CD in 1996: “Resurgence”. The classical influences are now evident throughout this CD. The style is more symphonic and choruses are omnipresent.



Then, Eric Konofal, an old friend from the radio period known as “Les Joyaux de la Princesse”, suggested collaborating on a new project titled “Die Weisse Rose”. This collaboration provided the opportunity to experience the pleasure of working on a common artistic project. The artistic approach could be likened to composing a movie soundtrack, which was very interesting. This also provided the opportunity to perform (Lille, New York). Following this project, a new CD was produced by “World Serpent” in 1998. The influence of classical music is even more present on “Vague a l’ame”. It is also more peaceful and the drums are softer. This is the last collaboration with the famous label “World Serpent”.



A new period began when R.E. reduced his music activity. Work and a growing family kept him very busy. In 2000, R.E. met Alex from “Cynfeirdd”. They began a new collaboration leading to “Resurgence II”. In fact, it seemed necessary for Fabien to revisit the first version of Resurgence in order to rectify the sins of his youth. All the tracks were rescored, the new instruments beloved of R.E. were used, and the sound quality was improved.


The result is a more accomplished and more powerful work. In 2003, R.E. decided to compose a final work with his current instruments. Utopia marks the end of the first R.E. musical period. A dark and repetitive orchestral sound with heavy drums. “Gae Bolg” contributed to this CD by providing a mix version of “Utopia” with brilliant trumpets.



After a long period of inactivity, R.E. returned in 2013 and announced that he was working on a new CD. In 2015, R.E. participated in the compilation “PRIEZ POUR PARIS”. In March 2017, the new CD was released on Cynfeirdd. A new 8-track album with a new, more epic sound, but whose spirit and style remain unchanged. In September 2017, a new project in collaboration with the Greek band Dark Awake was initiated on the theme of the Greek myth “The Odyssey”. This collaboration was very enriching and allowed R.E. to explore new musical domains such as industrial music and Dark Ambient and the use of new sounds. It allowed R.E. to start adding real voices to his compositions. The CD was released in June 2018 on the Spanish label La Esencia.



While working in parallel on the album ‘The Odyssey,’ vocal training persisted to prepare for the upcoming project titled ‘Tempus Fugit.’ This project would mark the end of Regard Extrême’s instrumental works. A brooding composition, it features intense and commanding rhythms. Brass and strings take center stage, harmonizing with Fabien’s haunting voice. The album exudes power and symphonic grandeur, as it delves into the theme of lost time. It was released in 2019 under the label Cynfeirdd.



Stay Connected



REGARD EXTREME