Harsh – ‘Feels’ Album Review

Since 2018, there’s been a revolution happening in the French hard rock scene that started in Paris before creeping across the country and exploding into the UK and Europe. That musical revolution is Parisian rockers Harsh, who have slowly but surely been crafting a reputation as the finest French export since Champagne!

Inspired by bands such as Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses and Van Halen, Harsh burst onto the scene 8 years ago with an EP followed by debut album Out of Control in 2022; astatement of intent to bring the glory days of 80’s glam and hard rock back to the fore with their own harder edged, modern twist on the sounds and vibe of golden-era Sunset Strip. Explosive, high-energy live performances upped the hype further, as did a series of well-crafted single releasesover the last few years.

Now, the likeable foursome of Albert Arnold (vocals/guitar), Severin Piozzoli (guitar/backing vocals), Julien Martin (bass) and Leo Lowenthal (drums) have really reached the next level with stunning sophomore album ‘Feels’. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had this album for a few months now, finding new layers with every listen as the Rockfiend-backed rockers show what can be achieved with resilience, hard work, determination and a truckload of musical talent!

Opener ‘Break Your Way’ is the kind of rocker that any of the Sunset Strip bands would’ve been proud of in the heyday of glam and hard rock. Heavy riffs and some guitar histrionicsare the order of the day, with gang-like vocals and harmoniessmattered across the song too. Think Hysteria-era Def Leppard crossed with Slippery-era Bon Jovi and you’ll be in the right ballpark! Pure rock n roll joy!

‘All I Ever Wanted’, with its catchy, sing-along chorus, is a bit moodier sounding but is nevertheless the kind of driving rocker that’ll have live audiences jumping around. The frantic ‘Fuel to the Fire’ is fast and furious and will have a similar effect in a live setting… or whilst doing the dishes in the kitchen! Try not to jump around when listening to this one!The strangely titled ‘Offer You a Rome’, is a modern, driving rock song with a huge “whoa, oh, oh” section… and we all love a “whoa, oh, oh” in a rock song, just as much as we love a guitar solo. There’s even a brief appearance by a piano! Is there any end to Harsh’s talent? Apparently not, as further evidenced by ‘Don’t Mess With Me’, a song straight out of the Dokken playbook, with big riffs and a huge chorus! 

A few months ago, I reviewed ‘Forever Yesterday’ for Rockfiend, saying it’s “the kind of hard rock power-ballad I’ve been waiting on for years. It’s soaring, powerful, emotional and full of heartache, transporting you back to 1980s Sunset Strip whilst grounding you in 2026 with a polished, modern production”. This position remains, as ‘Forever Yesterday’ is one of the best power ballads I’ve heard for years and for me, is the standout track on an album already packed with many musical delights! The accompanying music video is worth a watch too!

Another track I have previously reviewed as a single is the catchy yet incredibly hard rocking, heavy riffing cover of ‘Maniac’, the song made famous by 1983 movie Flashdance. As I said at the time “Harsh have transformed the classic track and made it their own by turning the amplifiers to full volume and adding musical muscle and bombast, resulting in an aural tour-de-force that will have you singing along and banging your heads with equal gusto!”. Quite simply, covers can be risky. They don’t always work. But sometimes a risk can reap great rewards and that’s what happened here. I dare you to try not to sing along… and watch the video too!

‘Back to Life’ is a bouncy little ditty, with the opening more Franz Ferdinand than Firehouse but from there, it transforms into another modern, sing-along rocker. ‘Losing my Mind’ rocks from beginning to end with the most Guns N Roses Appetite-era chorus since… well… Guns N Roses in 1987!‘Dancing Dancing’ has Ratt’s DNA all over it, from the hooky riff to the big chorus whilst ‘Never Gonna See Me Fall’ dials down the tempo to reveal a sweet, acoustic ballad that builds in power to the kind of chorus that Warrant would’ve killed for. Album closer ‘When We’re Together’ is the perfect final track with its Tyketto-like feelgood factor that’ll have you dancing and singing along!

‘Feels’ is more than just another hard rock album. It’s an album that Harsh have been working towards since their inception, with the blood, sweat and tears of years of hard work and determination pouring from every single track. This is an album that will stand up for years to come; heavy, melodic, hook-laden, stadium-sized rock music with huge vocals, riff-laden guitars, hard hitting drums and driving basslines. It’s fun and feelgood with a top-notch production… just like it used to be back in the day! This could very well be the rock album of the year!

Come and join the new French revolution… with Harsh!