Telling stories through music

The name Panem comes from the Latin phrase panem and circenses (bread and games or circuses), an expression that denounced the Roman emperors' egotism: the deliberate use of bread distributions and the organization of games for the purpose of flattering the people in order to attract the benevolence of the masses - which still persists to this day in the Zeitgeist.

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It is a perilous yet inevitable exercise to categorize oneself, to claim to belong to a musical genre without feeling boxed into it. Our songs are said to tell stories. So maybe that's it, telling stories through music, over an indie rock background, somewhat progressive with structures, textures and moods. The sum of the influences and musical journeys of each member makes for a protean music: the sum of multitudes.

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Starting off in late 2018, Panem have released their debut EP Zeitgeist / Absolute Monopoly in September 2020. 

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"French indie rock band, Panem, have created absolute greatness on debut EP, "Zeitgeist/Absolute Monopoly"

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They are made up of Marie Moreau on lead vocals, Emeline Fougeray on bass, Mogan Cornebert on drums, and Yacine Aït Amer on both guitars & vocals. Together they are making incredibly cohesive and unique indie rock music that we’ve instantly come to love just based off of our initial listens. According to the band, some say they sound progressive, poppy, heavy rock or soul, but the honest truth is they don't really know. To be honest, it doesn’t even matter, because the music speaks for itself!

Coming in at 6 total tracks, this album was absolutely jam packed with serious peaks and valleys across their multifaceted sound. Seeing as this was our first foray into the music of Panem, let it be known right now that it will certainly not be our last. After completing our initial listen, we instantly had to go back for a second helping. The music was so compelling, so diverse, and so perfectly dense, we were sold immediately.

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Throughout the listening process, you’re going to experience big booming drums, roaring basslines and riffs, and a powerhouse female vocal delivery that it sure to send shivers down your spine. Now we don’t want to give too much away, because we’d much rather you listen and form your own opinions, but this album straight up rocks. As so much music comes our way on a daily basis, it becomes tougher and tougher to stand out, however this immediately stood out as actual unique music that sounds different from the rest.

One day we truly hope to see the band play this record in full. While the day might be farther away than we’d like, it’s the type of music we could envision seeing ourselves witnessing live. It’s an album of songs that deserves to be played in front of a large crowd, dancing and moshing around to the beat of their sound. 

With this all being said, what are you waiting for? Have we made it clear enough? This is absolutely the next record you need to have in your lineup of listens."

Austin Sher - We Write About Music, LA - USA