French punk band from Paris notable for combining aggressive guitars with prominent synthesizers. Best known for the 1977 single "Panik" and a very brief late-1970s original career; material resurfaced in early-2000s compilations.

Lineup (as reported in the review): Clode Panik (vocals), Rikky Darling (guitar), Eric Debris (synthesizer), Zip Zinc (synthesizer); later additions Hermann Schwartz and Pat Luger. Key early singles: "Panik / Lady Coca Cola" (1977), "Paris Maquis / Cle De Contact", "Hysterie Connective / Pas Poubelle". "Panik" singled out as a punk classic. Some material later compiled on 2003's Chef D'Oeuvre and 2004's Anarchy In Paris!. One single was licensed by Rough Trade.

The available review praises Métal Urbain as a seminal French punk act with a stark, synth-driven sound. "Panik" is highlighted as a punk classic. The band's original output was brief (late 1970s) and later resurfaced in compilations (notably 2003–2004 releases). Comparisons in the review include Screamers, Stooges, Sex Pistols and Suicide.

For:Fans of early punk, synth-punk collectors, listeners interested in French rock history

 "Primarily, the Metal Urbain are French, from Paris, and already this shocks me quite a bit because until then for me punk is a thing of England and the United States, and Mont De Marsan doesn\u2019t even exist on the map, and people like Marc Zermati and Jean Luc Stote are as familiar to me as the magnificent frigate of the Galapagos."

  Discover the review
Loading
Image Id: 88238 Resolution: 312 x 170
Image Id: 43309 Resolution: 126 x 88
You and Métal Urbain
Who knows Métal Urbain?
Loading...
Other websites