From Paris to the Sunset Strip: Harsh on the Rise

From Paris to the Sunset Strip: Harsh on the Rise

Some bands arrive with a spark — Harsh arrives with a full‑blown firestorm. The Paris‑based hard rock quartet has been steadily carving out their place in Europe’s rock and metal scene, delivering high‑energy performances, razor‑sharp musicianship, and a sound that channels the spirit of the Sunset Strip through a distinctly French lens. With their new album Feels, Harsh pushes their songwriting and emotional range further than ever, blending arena‑ready hooks with heartfelt storytelling and a modern edge.

Fresh off tours with legends like Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P. and Anvil, and gearing up for major dates with The New Roses, Harsh is quickly becoming one of Europe’s most exciting rising acts. We caught up with Julien, Albert, Léo, and Séverin to talk about the making of Feels, their vinyl debut, their dream of playing the U.S., and the surprising story behind one of their earliest songs, “Under the LA Sun.”

Let’s get this going. First of all, so I know who everyone is — introduce yourselves and tell me what you do in Harsh, starting from the left side of the screen.
Julien Martin: I’m Julien Martin. I’m the bass player, and I also do some backing vocals.

Albert Arnold: I’m Albert Arnold. I handle lead vocals and guitar.

Léo Löwenthal: I’m Léo Löwenthal. I’m the drummer, and I also do backing vocals.

Séverin Piozzoli: And I’m Séverin Piozzoli. I play guitar and backing vocals too.

Where are you guys based out of, and what is your local music scene like there?
Albert: We’re based in Paris, France.

Léo: The French music scene is diverse, but mostly pop and metal. There’s not much rock ’n’ roll or hard rock — it’s very polarized.

Let’s talk about the new album Feels. Is there any overall story or concept behind the title?
Albert: Yes — the process behind Feels was completely different from our last record. For this album, we focused on the emotion each track gave us. It’s a big contrast from Out of Control, which was mainly built around guitar riffs. Feels is all about the emotions we found in each song — what it made us feel. That’s why Léo came up with the name.

Léo: “Feelings” didn’t sound right, so we kept searching. When we landed on Feels, it was obvious.

You worked with Hannes from Kissin’ Dynamite on the new album — what was that like?
Albert: I was visiting friends in the south of France, and the guys from BlackRain played me their new tracks. They sounded incredible. They told me Hannes was mixing and mastering them and encouraged us to reach out. That’s how it happened.

Julien: Hannes was great. He does the same kind of music as us, so he understood exactly what we wanted — just a couple back‑and‑forths and the track was done.

Tell me about “All I Ever Wanted,” the latest single.
Léo: It’s the perfect representation of Harsh — the style, the musicianship, the spirit. It sums up the whole Feels album.

Julien: It came together really fast. Albert had the chorus melody, and the rest flowed. Maybe two days of work.

You do a kick‑ass cover of “Maniac.” What inspired that?
Léo: We wanted an ’80s song for our live set — something not typically hard rock. We first tried “Call Me” by Blondie, but it wasn’t right. Then we tried “Maniac,” and it clicked immediately. We played it live for two years, and people kept asking which album it was on. So for Feels, it was obvious to include it.

Tell me about the opening track, “Break Your Way.”
Albert: It’s about Harsh’s story — when you say you want to play music, people often tell you it’s not a real job. You have to break your way through. It’s about finding your path in life, even when it’s not always rock ’n’ roll.

And the final track, “When We’re Together”?
Léo: It’s very special to us. It’s about touring, our relationship as a band, our fans, our families. It has a melancholic vibe and a perfect place at the end of the album. We love playing it live.

What was it like seeing your album on vinyl for the first time?
Albert: Emotional. We waited years for this. And they’re marble blue — a special edition with limited copies. Léo was the happiest because he’s the real vinyl collector.

You opened for Chris Holmes. What was that like?
Léo: Amazing. We played Belgium, Italy, and Germany — around ten shows. He’s the man. We listen to a lot of W.A.S.P., so it was special.

And opening for Anvil?
Albert: They’re legends. Hearing stories from Lips and Robb backstage — that’s something you don’t forget.

Léo: We did about twenty‑five shows with them across Europe. It was incredible.

You’ve played with The New Roses many times. What can fans expect from your upcoming shows?
Léo: We toured France with them, but now we’ll play Germany and Switzerland — their home turf. Bigger venues, new vibe. Germany is huge for hard rock and metal.

If Harsh could open for any band, who would it be?
Séverin: Slash. We all agree.

Albert: Before we met, we were all at a Slash show — maybe it’s a sign.

Léo: I love every project he’s done. And we were in the same audience at his Paris show in 2014.

Albert: World on Fire is the album that made me learn lead guitar. I learned all the solos.

Séverin: Also Shinedown, The Struts, Winger, Mr. Big, Yungblood… and Kissin’ Dynamite.

Have you ever played in the U.S., or is that something you’d like to do?
Julien: It’s a dream. The U.S. is one of the main rock countries. We already played the UK — now we want the U.S.

Albert: We even speak English in our band chat to improve ourselves.

Julien: It’s hard for European bands to play the U.S., but one day we’ll succeed.

I live in Los Angeles — I can totally see Harsh at the Whisky a Go Go.
Albert: That would be awesome.

You have a song called “Under the LA Sun.” What inspired it?
Léo: Both Albert and Julien visited LA. And you’re probably the first person to ask us about this song!

Albert: I went to Sunset Boulevard — the Whisky, the Viper Room, the Rainbow. It was a long time ago, but the vibe stuck with me.

Léo: The music sounds sunny, but the lyrics talk about LA’s contrasts — wealth and poverty side by side. We wanted to capture that.

Julien: We even thought about moving to LA at the time. It’s a reference to that dream.

Are you involved in any other bands outside Harsh?
Léo: No — Harsh is our full‑time work. We earn a living from it, and we’re so aligned musically and personally that it makes sense to focus on Harsh only.

What’s next for Harsh?
Julien: A lot of touring.

Léo: Our songs have been on national radio in France, Germany, and even the U.S. We have partnerships with Fender and Blackstar. We have shows with The New Roses, shows in the UK, and some things we can’t announce yet. Maybe the U.S. — who knows?

Albert: Harsh is driven by playing live. The future is touring the world, meeting new people, discovering new countries.

Any message for Harsh fans in the States?
Léo: We’ve received a lot of messages from the U.S. — on YouTube, Messenger, everywhere. And even from Canada. Harsh is spreading worldwide.

In Conclusion

Harsh is a band built on passion, persistence, and the belief that rock ’n’ roll still has the power to connect people across borders. With Feels, they’ve delivered their most emotional and ambitious work yet — and with major tours ahead, international momentum, and a growing fanbase in the U.S., their story is only beginning. Whether on European stages or someday under the LA sun, Harsh is ready to break their way forward — loud, proud, and unstoppable.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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