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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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OLD
SCHOOL DEATH METAL
WITH
A BRUTAL TOUCH
FROM FRANCE
1. Hello, how are you ?
Vincent : Rather well, Julien from ADX just joined the band following the departure of Chris. To welcome new blood always boosts the motivation, so this is very good! We are very enthusiastic with the idea of the forthcoming gigs and the next recording.
2. FALL OF SERAPHS is a death metal band, but in 2019 it can mean so many different things… Can you be more precise to repulse the flies raised to high-sugar deathcore?
SEB: It’s quite a shame to be required to be more precise, but well… FALL OF SERAPHS plays a kind of death metal in the traditional meaning of the word, neither brutal death, neither technical death, nor esoteric, neither core or any of it… It’s only Death metal. We are mostly influenced by American death from the 90’s, but we do not deny the European scene of the same era, we also have black metal influences that can come up from time to time.
3. You recently released a split CD with TREPANATOR on Triumph Ov Death records. Why TREPANATOR? Why Triumph Ov Death? Was the split CD well distributed and are the feedbacks cool ? (Did you know several members of Trepanator used to play in Deep vein before, a quite obscure death metal band).
Vincent : Trepanator
because Cyril and Gran are friends since the Offending/ Asmodée
era. On their side it was Deep vein indeed, we shared the stage
several times… And when Fall of Seraphs accelerated with Olaf and
Seb, the first gig occurred with Trepanator, in the same bar were
Deep Vein and Offending played 10 years before. So you understood
this split CD isn’t only a very coherent musical gathering, it’s
also about a solid friendship.
4. I found the production of this new recording to be more powerful, a bit more « modern » compared to the first MCD. According to the live videos to be found on Youtube, the rendering during gigs is more old school and straight forward (It’s almost real necro death metal the old way), while on CD the more technical and worked up aspect stands out… Is this a volunteer choice, since you want metallers to clearly understand your riffs in every conditions?
SEB: Concerning the production of the split, it’s not really a choice, even if we are more than happy with the result. At the beginning we had a production closer to “destroyer of worlds”, but Tepanator had recorded their side at the Cripple Room studio (To give you an idea, Putrefiance and Rotten also recorded in there, this is quite brutal and massive production), and both parts didn’t go hand in hand too well on a same release, so we reworked our production a bit to homogenize the whole, an so comes this more “modern” and powerful sound for Fall Of Seraphs
Vincent : I would smoothen Seb’s words a bit : On one hand the very massive production of Trepanator incited use to rework the mastering to homogenize the whole, but on the other hand we were much more prepared before recording this time. So the more “professional side can give a more « modern » aspect… It wasn’t necessarily premeditated, I believe we are still searching for our style in matters of production, it will refine with time.
5. Is your vocalist, Olaf, a bear from the cave ? He seems to be quite annoyed and nervous on this last recording, maybe even more than on the first MCD… Did he eat a bear? (Sorry but eating lion is a bit overheard…)
Olaf: Yes héhé,
you can’t really change yourself. According to myself, the vocalist’s
job Is always particular in the meaning it needs a mental and conceptual
work before the release of a single note. You have to be totally
impregnated with the essence of the music and to understand what
the composers had in mind at the moment of creation. Fall of Seraphs
sweats of savagery, destruction and pure hate. The lyrics I write
and my vocals are a kind of catalyst for the whole of the music
has the effect of a nuclear deflagration. I’m only here to trigger
this explosion, so yes, all of this makes me quite nervous.
6. Where does the FALL OF SERAPHS name come from ? Is there a link with the song of MAYHEM (I’m not certain since your music is quite different) or perhaps the old death metal label SERAPHIC DECAY ?
Vincent : This name comes from the Mayhem track. At the beginnings of Fall Of Seraphs, it was suggested by a friend. The luciferian meaning suits very well the spirit I wanted. As well as other musicians of the current line-up, I’m a Mayhem fan since more than 20 years… And even if our styles differ, there remain common basis.
7. Who composes most of the music in the band, who is the « creative cauldron » ? Is he a sanguinary tyrant, or does he remain easy to corrupt with a couple of beers? AhAh
OGMA : Seb and Vincent are a part of this « creative cauldron ». It seems quite simple for Seb to write music I believe. On my behalf, I started to write a few compositions that I shew them, and we started to work together. It’s always a difficult exercise to write new songs when you just joined a band, you want your composition to be absolutely perfect, to suit the style of the band and bring your own touch at the same time. Seb is easy to corrupt with a beer *aha*, I didn’t try with Vincent, will let you know next time! I knew worse as a sanguinary tyrant, they aren’t frightening me (Well almost).
Vincent : Indeed Ogma came up with a very solid track, we will arrange it in the future. Each one can bring his touch and ideas as long as it fits the spirit of the band.
8. Musically you’re very influenced by old school MORBID ANGEL, but I also find some common points with very early VADER perhaps, the first SINISTER albums, a big spoon of old SLAYER, and some old BRUTALITY but in a less melodic manner (Also with a zest of SUFFOCATION ("Despise the sun"), but it’s perhaps due to the production of the split CD…). So what do you think about my comparisons, it’s slightly next to the hole, and you would wish to point out other formations to fit better, or it’s alright and my strawberry milk isn’t rancid yet?
SEB: It’s almost without fail for me, perhaps I wouldn’t have quote Brutality, or I would have added something à la Krabathor instead, but otherwise it’s all good ! Greets! Then, we evolve in a style with a quite long growing history, so influences are wider than that, but if you remain in the big big ones, that’s it.
Vincent : Yes,
well seen! And talking about drums, you were right for suffocation,
Dave Culross is one of my favorite death metal drummers… I would
also add Gorgoroth and Aura Noir for the black/ thrash feeling.
9. Would have Morbid Angel reached a point where the average polish death metal band (Let’s say the better ones, because they are numerous in Poland…) becomes more interesting than their last releases?
SEB: It hurts to say so, but that’s almost the case. As well as many peoples, I didn’t get into Illud, even if I understand the need for change, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear from Morbid. I was quite hopeful when they announced the comeback of Tucker; it already seemed to be more deathmetallic, but finally I wasn’t thrilled either. I don’t remember who said so on the web, it was something like “I listened to the new Morbid, it does the job”, but hell, I don’t listen to Morbid angel for it does only the job, I need to have a monstrous kick in the face and to take a death metal lesson. It’s not the case with their later releases.
Vincent : I don’t like at all the last two Morbid angel recordings, but I respect the fact they didn’t record a washed out Covenant or Domination part two… They did something else, and on the last one especially there’s quite some work… It doesn’t please me at all, but they aren’t kidding the listeners in my point of view. I’ll be harsher with the choice of production.
10. You have planned to tour with MERCYLESS in 2020, that’s good, I find the two bands to fit well together musically. Some kind of globally old school death metal, with more brutal or technical sonorities by moments. How did you get in touch with MERCYLESS? Would you like this collaboration to go further one day? (I have in mind a split CD/ LP, not something like group sex AhAh… Sorry but I’m from the North of France, it’s well known we keep orgies in the family, to increase the rate of consanguinity AhAh)
Vincent : Indeed
some things are planned with Mercyless and Ritualization for march
of 2020. We shared the stage with Mercyless (And also Ritualization)
for the first time at the “Une nuit en enfer” festival, a great
little fest for old school black/ death, it’s organized by our friends
from Necrocult (An excellent black/ death band). Then we played
two other dates with the same bands at beginning 2019, we got along
very well and the crowd was there. So we thought why not doing it
again, with more gigs, and some dates in foreign countries. We are
working on this project!
11. Your last recording dates back to 2018. Have you got new songs in current (de)composition ? You changed of guitarist a couple of times, do you feel a little « cursed » ? Do these changes affect the composition in a significant way or not ? (I have in mind the musical depths, style of the riffs, more than the delay it can generate)
SEB: I wouldn’t
say cursed, no, especially since I’m a part of these guitarist changes,
so well… Then, it’s always tool to have a stable line up, but it’s
not easy for many reasons, you do not always have the same expectations,
the same ambitions, schedules do not always match, other projects
can take time… So not, we’re not cursed, it’s more or less the order
of things.
Concerning the decompositions, yes, we started to
work on new songs a couple of months ago, and Thomas who took the
guitar at the end of last year also have some ideas under his belt.
It might change the style of the riffs, according to who writes
them, but the fact we all cooperate blurs these differences, and
you shouldn’t get frustrated because it’s doesn’t sound the same
way you did before. If it sounds good, it sounds good, we
don’t go further.
Vincent : Exactly ! And sometimes the lineup changes also allow you to refine the choice of peoples you play with, to keep those who really feel comfortable with the spirit and the way the band works. Concerning the new compositions, yes we are working on it, 4 or 5 are in the making.
OGMA : Cursed ? Not as far as I’m concerned. It’s an incredible chance to have joined this line up. Concerning the decompositions, as SEB said there are new tracks in the way and everyone contributes for there shall be a very homogenous outcome.
12. Which recordings come back the more often in your playlists these last months ?
SEB : Speaking for myself, lately there have been a lot of “the labyrinth” by Necrot, quite a lot of the Putrefiance demo, a bit of “temple of the abyss” by Vacivus and some classics such as the first Morbid Angel or Malevolent Creation albums.
OGMA : Quite a lot of things, lately this was mostly the last Necrophobic, the last ATG, Malevolent Creation, Introtyl, Obliteration…
Vincent : Lately,
I have been listening to the last Belenos, Leviathan (Rather the
old ones) Darkthrone (I like everything), "Vile" of Cannibal,
the last Mortal Scepter "Where Light Suffocates"
13. Do you
listen to music in the car ? Are you adherent to big sound systems
so that you can play it loud while driving? Sometimes I find it
quite dumb to invest money in great hardware, because with the noises
of car, peripheral noises, and the fact you’re not totally focused
on music, you won’t really hear or appreciate the differences… Somewhere,
perhaps an old car stereo with tape player (A not too rotten one)
might be sufficient (If you don’t need to change songs too often)…
What do you think about it? .
(Yes, I love vinyl fetishists,
who ripp an album and upload it on Youtube… But in the process it
was digitalized at least once, without talking about Youtube compression…)
SEB : Yes, I listen to quite a lot of music in the car, but I drive with an old 25 years old barrow, so it’s not really the acoustics of dream. I have no tape player because I have no tapes, but I own a 25 euros car stereo, it reads Usb keys or I can connect my phone, and it’s fairly enough for me. I already hear the legions of audiophiles screaming under my window, but as you said it, with the noise of the car, noise of the road, and focus on driving, there’s no interest.
OGMA : I listen to a lot of music in the car, it’s even essential for me *ahah*. I’m not necessarily a fan of the big sound systems, on my car the built-in system fits my needs very well. It’s true some vibrations can bother, that’s why I mostly listen to records I love or know by heart.
Vincent : I also listen to a lot of music while driving, it’s essential. As well as Ogma, the built-in system suits me. If I invest money in an audiophile system one day, it will rather be destined to my living room.
14. Printed or embroidered patch, which is the winner ? This said do you have some merchandising available?
SEB: Embroidered, there’s no discussion.
OGMA : I own both kinds, but my preference goes to embroidered patch.
Vincent : Yes, of course, embroidered. It’s the essence of this product.
15. Tell us about your forthcoming projects.
Vincent : As said earlier, we are working on new compositions, it’s well advanced, we can even say with certainty we will record during the year 2020. Concerning the kind of format, it’s quite uncertain… Split, Ep, album… We don’t really know. There’s also the little tour with Mercyless and Ritualization at the end of winter
Web
page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/fallofseraphsofficial
Listen: https://youtu.be/fjwByAmojVk
