Thirty years after their debut, Kyo continues on their path with a consistency that commands respect. Without denying their DNA, the four musicians continue to explore the territory between light and shadow, between unifying pop and emotional rock. ‘Ultraviolent’ is part of this tradition: an album designed to be a mirror of our times, both tense and contrasting.

It is an album where the intensity of feelings merges with that of an increasingly chaotic world, but which Kyo chooses to recount with gentleness and lucidity. The title track, which opens the album, sets the tone: nervous but measured, it illustrates this tension between intensity and control.

With Kyo, the violence is above all emotional – that of passion, of falling, of longing – familiar themes that the band tackles with obvious maturity. “K17” drives the point home with its unifying energy, a chorus tailor-made for the stage and a welcome touch of self-deprecation. With its crescendos of intensity and sharp guitars, it sometimes brings to mind Thirty Seconds to Mars, or even the controlled flamboyance of Imagine Dragons. But behind this vigour, there is nothing really abrasive: the cry remains contained, polished by a slick production.

The heart of Ultraviolent lies in its contrasts. “Hors du Temps” and “Les Amants” reconnect with the band's sentimental vein, between tenderness and nostalgia. Conversely, “Formidable” and “Soleil Noir” explore a more electronic facet, a sign of an openness to modern sounds without renouncing guitars. These ethereal atmospheres sometimes evoke Coldplay at their most contemplative. The work of the young producers brings a breath of fresh air, even if the whole remains more polished than innovative. You can sense the desire to the sound without losing the essence of Kyo – a successful gamble in terms of form, less so in terms of surprise. In terms of lyrics, Benoît Poher takes on a more direct, sometimes disarming style of writing, where the old Kyo wrapped their emotions in poetic images. This simplicity works well on the most sincere tracks, but at times leaves a feeling of uniformity. The band seems to prefer solidity to disruption, consistency to audacity.

All in all, ‘Ultraviolent’ will not change Kyo's image or destiny, but it confirms their expertise: that of accessible, honest rock, calibrated for live performance. An album without excessive brilliance, but without missteps either. We would have liked to have been shaken up a bit more, but that was probably not the goal. Kyo is quietly charting its course, embracing what it is: a band that, thirty years on, continues to make the hearts of those who have never turned their backs on it beat faster.