"Wild Child's Pre-Death Record and Punk Opera"
The Whirlwind of Rox Arcand:
Rox Arcand, the edgy, tattooed lead singer of the garage punk band, Enfants sauvages, is a living whirlwind. Ideas swirl, laughter echoes, and questions compete in her head. She interjects her conversation, "I'm mulling over whether to say 'directive line' or 'directive loop.' You see, I'll be digging into that, and once we hang up, I'll look up the difference between the two. That's just my style."
That's her style, and it's vibrant, captivating, and fiery. Rox Arcand is the kind of person who, mere moments before delivering the material for the vinyl sleeve of her band's new album, Avant la mort, dives headfirst into a DIY, elaborate project, scours for someone to scan the result, fetches duct tape, and so on.
"It's like the band: it's always down to the wire," says the co-owner of the record store, Le Knock-out!, in Quebec City. "It's always 'crunch time.' It's a kind of organized chaos, but sometimes things get intense. Everything is in emergency mode. It's always like that. It can be exhausting to perform in Enfants sauvages. Let me tell you that. Yet, that's what makes it work!"
The Quebec-based band has just released their third album, which will be accompanied on June 6 at L'Arquemuse by a one-time-only concept show: Avant la mort, Opéra Punk.
First comes the new music. There are 20 tracks, and they zip by in 28 short minutes, a duration that includes the poetic interludes penned and recited by none other than Lucien Francœur. It's a "poem-bruise" sequence, repeated 20 times.
Rox Arcand crossed paths with the "Montreal Freak" at the Quebec launch of the documentary Francœur. On achève bien les rockers, co-directed by the artist's daughter, Virginie Francœur. Arcand had brought her copy of Rockeurs sanctifiés and asked him to sign it. "I asked him, somewhat randomly, to inscribe 'Before Death.' That became the album title."
Later, Lucien Francœur spent a few hours in the studio recording his lines, scripted from the simple titles of the songs. "He recited each of the short poems almost three times, altering the phrases each time."
Francœur's soft, calming voice interweaves between the fierce guitar riffs by Dr. Acula, the heroic bass lines of Burger Max and Justine Beaulieu, and the rhythmic drumbeats of Kid, Charles-Antoine Garant. "Calming is the right word, because yes, the songs infiltrate, but I find it's like a moment of respite that leads to the next track," adds Rox Arcand.
Avant la mort, recorded in one go, as is, is what Arcand calls "a photographic moment" of the energy of that instance, captured here by skilled sound engineer and mixer, Ryan Battistuzzi. The album starts with Mise en bouche, which was composed by Dr. Acula to introduce the show. "Welcome to my mind / Welcome to the floor of my shingles / Come to my corners," the singer wrote. The invitation is extended, and the journey will be raw, occasionally dark, frequently carnal, sexual, full of questions, but also strength. You can sense the presence of many Roxes, multifaceted.
Enrichment Data:
Punk Opera:
The "Avant la mort, Opéra Punk" concept show by Enfants Sauvages is a unique theatrical experience that merges the structure and narrative depth of opera with the raw energy and DIY ethos of punk rock. Premiering in June 2025, this show marks the release of the band's third album, "Avant la mort," and is intended to be a significant artistic statement—a self-contained, immersive event[2].
Concept and Staging:
The show follows the narrative structure of an opera, opening with a prelude, followed by two acts and an interlude. The narrative centers on the inner turmoil of a woman grappling with life's choices, encounters, breakdowns, and passions while navigating the space between "before and after." It explores profound existential questions and the process of self-discovery amid upheaval [2].
Musically, the performance is accompanied by 20 punk-rock tracks interspersed with interludes read by Lucien Francœur, weaving together literary, musical, and performative elements to create a cohesive, creative experience[3].
Production and Significance:
The "Avant la mort, Opéra Punk" stands out for its bold fusion of genres and formats. Its significance lies in its innovative reimagining of punk, pushing the boundaries of what live punk music can be by integrating visual, narrative, and theatrical elements[2][4]. The production's creation involved a week-long residency, a dedicated team of artists, and a custom stage design, highlighting a DIY approach that echoes punk’s roots while expanding into new creative territories[2][4].
By presenting this ambitious project, Enfants Sauvages aim to redefine the mold of punk, portraying it as a living, evolving art form capable of addressing complex, human experiences and collective artistic expression[4]. By making the show a one-night-only event, they enhance its importance as a special, fleeting occurrence, emphasizing the immediacy and impermanence at the core of punk culture[2].
Rox Arcand's conversation echoes her intriguing approach to music and its connection to culture, as she ponders between 'directive line' and 'directive loop', and mentions her upcoming exploration of the differences between the two.
Instead of a traditional album release, the Quebec-based band Enfants sauvages chose to merge culture and entertainment by introducing the punk opera, 'Avant la mort, Opéra Punk', a unique theatrical experience that unites the narrative depth of opera with the energy of punk rock.
