Chest. Release New Single ‘I’m Proud’
Having already supported Ditz, Knives and Jehnny Beth, French rock band chest. return to the UK with a debut album in tow as part of The Great Escape’s First Fifty.
Rising French noise rock outfit Chest. were the first band that I saw this year; supporting Knives at Bristol’s iconic proving ground venue The Lanes. They’re now back with a new album having been selected to take part of the first fifty names at The Great Escape festival in Brighton - playing at Sebright Arms with Shrink and Bathing Suits on what’s sure to be a loud, rowdy night.
The band has already grown rapidly in France having support slots for Ditz and Jehnny Beth and now launched the next evolution of their sound that focuses on a growing embracement of electronic that mixes with their earlier punk and industrial music. They’re the perfect fit then to play with a band like Bathing Suits which embrace the techno force of their tracks full on. ‘I’m Proud’ is the closing track of their album; an industrial-inspired drum loop driving the song with vocalist Elliot approaching a breakup as a confrontation within the self-navigating guilt; anger and the pride of having successfully moved on. We see a switch away from the post-punk noise brutality of their singles as the band address a more mature form of emotion, nuance and silence - perfect for the album’s themes of Happy, Broken.
The debut album has been in the works since autumn 2025, having been recorded at La Frette Studios, a venue known for hosting sessions from Nick Cave and the Arctic Monkeys. The record embraces new inspirations without abandoning the powerful, melodic noise rock of their early days and becomes increasingly distinctive with influences drawn from shoegaze, industrial and techno. This is where the French rock scene is headed - abundantly fearless with a band capable of uniting audiences in a way that doesn’t leave their artistic integrity behind.
Follow Chest. on Instagram here | Stream ‘I’m Proud’ - here
Chest. live
11 November - The Rat and Pigeon - Tickets
12 November - FIRST FIFTY (The Great Escape) - Sebright Arms - London - Tickets
Photography by aileol