Les Chatons: a French-Canadian band bringing a funny twist to heavy metal

Cute little cat ears, whiskers, and heavy metal is not something you usually see put together. The French-Canadian heavy metal band Les Chatons seems to be doing just that.

They call themselves the pioneers of “miao metal.”

What is “miao metal”?

Les Chatons’ bassist Julian Jodoin says “miao metal is basically a type of metal that is funny and accessible.

“What we want to do is make this type of music that is generally aggressive and very gatekept accessible to all. That everyone can recognize themselves by the funny topics we sing about.”

“We have songs that are more thrash metal, we have songs that are more rap metal, one song that’s more punk metal,” added Guillaume Lessard, lead singer of Les Chatons.

Some songs are based on true stories. Other songs were inspired by their idols with a twist that makes the lyrics more wacky, yet relatable to Quebecers.

“The first song I wrote was inspired by a story of Ozzy Osbourne who was arrested for two weeks for pissing on a historical monument in Texas,” said Lessard. “Hence, one of our songs about a guy who is looking for toilets at bars. He goes outside, pees on the statue of Duplessis and gets arrested.”

The four Montrealers were music students at the French Cegep Marie-Victorin when they formed the band Les Chatons and its English alter ego Beyond All Boundaries.

Unlike their kitty-themed band, Beyond All Boundaries writes songs that touch on more serious topics like mental health. But when they’re in a funny mood, the guys go back to being Les Chatons.

Lessard, the leader singer, and Pascal Desroches, the band’s guitarist, may dress like cats, but ironically, are severely allergic to cats.

Why cats, then?

“Why not?” says their drummer Hugo Delarosbil. “We want to attract attention. We want to spark people’s curiosity.”

“What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger,” added Jodoin. “You should use your weakness to help you become the best version of yourself.”