KABBEL to Release Debut LP WHEN THE WAR IS OVER With Perturbator

KABBEL–the moniker of French artist Gregory Hoepffner–today announced his debut album When The War Is Over will be released on October 30th via darkwave lord Perturbator's record label Music of the Void. Across the bold and magnetic collection, with mixing by Lars Stalfors (The Mars Volta, Paramore, TR/ST, Carly Rae Jepsen), KABBEL deepens and expands his signature 'queer sadcore' genre. Perturbator features on the album's epic lead single 'Reward,' out today alongside a video directed by Hoepffner and premiering via New Noise Magazine.

Impactful synths add a cinematic flair to the heavy track as Hoepffner reflects on his years as a touring band member in the DIY hardcore scene. 'This song is about chasing a dream, and how the chase is often better than the dream itself,' he explains. 'I didn't realize it at the time, but what I was chasing at the start of my career wasn't fame or success, it was genuine human connection. I owe everything valuable in my life to my past music adventures: my jobs, my friends, my partner. In the long run, the 'product' matters less than the experience. That's the reward.'

'KABBEL is raw talent. Not just a great singer but also a talented songwriter and performer with whom I share many musical tastes and sensibilities ranging from dark electronic to new wave and industrial,' Perturbator says. 'It's a pleasure for me to collaborate with him and release his album on Music Of The Void, and also a chance to put a spotlight on a very gifted musician.'

Hoepffner assumes many musical identities, but KABBEL–who performs live with a band, and has shared the stage with heavyweights like HEALTH and Alcest–is surely the most unusual. Above all else, KABBEL is a character: a freeing creative outlet that allows Hoepffner to play with sonic elements that he wouldn't dare touch in other circumstances. It's a shield that keeps certain apprehensions–'Am I allowed to sing about this?'–at bay. KABBEL isn't afraid to disturb and will do it with unwavering flair. 'This character allows me to tackle certain subjects (like minority stress) or musical aesthetics (like alt rock and metal) that would be filtered out in other contexts for me,' explains Hoepffner, who also performs as a solo artist under the monikers Almeeva and G.H. Francis, and as a band member in SURE., Jean Jean, Ghoster, and Time To Burn. 'Trying to recapture the immense excitement of writing my first songs when I was 15 or 16 is often the starting point, and then adding in the production experience I've gathered over the past 20 years.'

When The War Is Over–performed, composed, and produced by Hoepffner himself–is a sonic redirection for KABBEL, taming the experimental side of his 2021 EP End Of Norms and embracing the pop demons that keep haunting him. The result is a surge of dancefloor energy and melodic hooks on songs like 'You Don't Matter,' 'R Chrome,' and the standout single 'Fiction Clouds.' 'This song is about minority stress, which in my case concerns the LGBTQ+ community. It's about the anxiety felt around potential or lived discriminations, rejection or bullying,' Hoepffner explains of the latter. 'The stress becomes so internalized that it turns into constant paranoia. Sonically, the song lets this tension drive until the end, with a nocturnal '80s synth pop production on steroids. I wanted it to feel like a dangerous dance.'

While When The War Is Over finds Hoepffner leaning into what he describes as an 'aesthetically extreme' concise and catchy sound ('I liked the idea of having at least one 'mainstream' sounding song on the album'), KABBEL will always welcome dark and distorted vibes into his universe. 'The Blaming Game' churns with an apocalyptic atmosphere that ends with a strong darkwave climax, while the metal guitar riffs and vocals on 'Elephant' burst with rage.

When The War Is Over ends with its powerful title track–a song that reflects the core of the record. 'The title is something I would like to hear regarding the state of the world right now, even though KABBEL's universe is mostly focused on inner conflicts,' Hoepffner says. 'Being in a constant state of war takes all your energy, and reduces your life to this battle. There are many things we feel the need to battle these days: climate change, the comeback of fascism, tech-billionaires stealing our work and using precious resources to re-brand it...there's a positively cathartic side to this album and my only goal is that it gives you the confidence to not give up, and hope for a better future.'

With When The War Is Over, KABBEL is ready to claim his place in the heavy music landscape. The album goes all in with great devotion, and injects the hardcore roots of its architect with a twisted and aggressive pop flavor. 'There's a lot of hurt and negative emotion in this album, but the goal is to make a bonfire out of this darkness; it's a ceremony where you can burn all the sadness in your life and move on.'

Tracklist

1. The Blaming Game

2. Fiction Clouds

3. R Chrome

4. Reward feat. Perturbator

5. Afterlife feat. Imer6ia

6. No More XTC

7. Elephant

8. You Don't Matter

9. Endless

10. When The War Is Over

More information on KABBEL is available via his website, Instagram, and Bandcamp.

Photo Credit: Gregory Hoepffner

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