Winnipeg Heavy Metal Band Harm Embraces French and English in Their Music

Harm: The Winnipeg Heavy Metal Band Screaming in Both French and English

Mason Greuner has often heard the saying that French is the language of love. But when he’s on stage with his heavy metal band Harm, singing en français is more than just romantic—it’s exhilarating.

“I like singing in French,” Greuner shares. “Especially doing metal screaming in French. It has an edge to it that English just doesn’t really have.”

Greuner, alongside drummer and fellow frontman Rylan Bazylo, leads Harm, a Winnipeg-based heavy metal band that, until a year ago, performed exclusively in English. However, their musical trajectory took a surprising turn when they were presented with an opportunity to compete in Chicane électrique, a music competition held as part of the Festival du Voyageur.

The catch? They had to sing in French.

Embracing the Challenge

Thankfully, their high school French lessons came in handy. Rather than shying away from the challenge, the band members eagerly translated some of their existing songs into French and took the stage with newfound linguistic versatility.

“The few originals we had, we translated,” Bazylo explains. “It worked out great.”

Their performance left an impression on Geneviève Freynet, a singer-songwriter and judge for Chicane électrique, who found their approach to be refreshingly unique.

“It’s not exactly a genre of music that you see very often in the French music sphere,” Freynet notes. “They were original in their ways of making music together and presenting themselves on stage.”

A Bilingual Future in Music

The experiment was such a success that Harm has now fully embraced performing in both languages. For Bazylo, the experience has deepened his connection to the French language.

“Creating art voluntarily and expressing yourself in French, for me personally, it’s really opened up the language in a way,” he reflects. “It’s really fun.”

Capturing Harm’s Story on Film

Harm’s bilingual journey has now been captured in a short documentary produced by students from Sisler High School’s Create program. This post-secondary initiative trains aspiring filmmakers in digital arts, including filmmaking, animation, and visual effects.

The documentary was created by Maya Reuther, Luis Manguerra, and Shea Miller—three students passionate about storytelling through film.

• Maya Reuther has been creating videos since childhood, experimenting with recreating famous movie scenes and stop-motion animation. More recently, she has developed a keen interest in foley and music video production.
• Shea Miller has long been immersed in literature, music, and film. With a strong passion for storytelling, she hopes to use filmmaking to share life experiences, both her own and those of others. Additionally, she is an active member of two cultural dance groups in Winnipeg and an instructor at SPK ISKRY Polish School of Dance.
• Luis Manguerra is a multidisciplinary creative with interests spanning visual arts, music, and filmmaking. He enjoys exploring different film and writing styles while also dedicating time to learning music, playing games, and making art.

Their documentary offers a glimpse into Harm’s evolution as a band and their unique embrace of bilingual heavy metal, demonstrating how language can add depth and intensity to music.

Harm continues to break barriers, proving that metal, with its raw energy and emotion, can thrive in any language.