Frustration
Post-punk troublemakers Frustration have become one of the leading bands on the French underground scene with their aggressive mix of punk rage, jagged guitars, squealing new wave synthesizers, and coldwave melodic frameworks. Moving back and forth between French and English vocals, the group's attack was minimal and straightforward on their debut EP in 2004 and developed a more polished yet sinister tone on their first full-length release, 2008's Relax. A more organic, guitar-driven sound dominated 2016's Empires of Shame, and an urgent lyrical stance about the precarious state of the world informed 2024's Our Decisions.
Frustration was formed in 2002 by lead singer Fabrice Gilbert, guitarist Nicus Duteil, bassist Emmanuel Blevarque, keyboardist Fred Campo, and drummer Mark Adolf. All five members hail from the suburbs of Paris, and several had worked together in the past: Gilbert, Blevarque, and Adolf had been in the Oi!-influenced Les Teckels, while Duteil, Blevarque, and Campo were members of the garage punk combo Steve and the Jerks as well as the Pebbles Vol. 6 Tribute Team. After two years of honing their sound, the band released their self-titled first EP on their own Blind Records label; a year later, it was re-released by the French indie imprint Manic Depression. Drummer Adolf helped found the noted French post-punk label Born Bad in 2006, and Frustration became one of their first signings, issuing the five-song EP Full of Sorrow that same year. Two years later came Frustration's first full-length LP, Relax.
The group's second album, 2012's Uncivilized, saw their following grow, as the release sold over 10,000 copies in France despite minimal promotion and press coverage, and they were selling out clubs across Europe. Bassist Emmanuel Blevarque left Frustration in 2015, and Patrice Dambrine came aboard in time to work on their third album, 2016's Empires of Shame. Frustration toured Europe with Sleaford Mods, and the two groups became fast friends, with Mods ranter Jason Williamson making a guest appearance on 2019's So Cold Streams. The group's disinterest in compromising, and being choosy about when and where they toured meant that members were dividing their time between the band and the adult responsibilities of jobs and families, but they made the time to return to the studio for 2024's Our Decisions.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
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Our Decisions
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born bad records on Mar 29, 2024
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Relax
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Mar 21, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Empires of Shame
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Oct 21, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
So Cold Streams
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Oct 18, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Uncivilized
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Feb 4, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Full of Sorrow
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Jan 1, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
On the Rise (Early Recordings)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Jan 1, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Midlife Crisis
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Sep 1, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Oddities
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Jul 16, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Drawback
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Feb 22, 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Dead City
Metal - Released by Nova Era Records on Feb 20, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Silly (feat. remilia bandxz)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Frustration on Mar 27, 2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Dying Breed
Electronic - Released by Purgatory Records on May 6, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Dying Cities Remix
Alternative & Indie - Released by Born Bad Records on Jun 26, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo