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TORMENT
is a Brutal Death band from the north of France in which I played
a few years ago. I'm running their website. I was positively surprised
when I've heard one of their new tracks Mat sent me! (It kills!)
I will release their second demo CD in a few months! Despite the
fact I'm well implicated into this band, here's an interview with
Mat (drums) to let you
know more about them!
1. Do an introduction to TORMENT! When did you form the band? Line up changes… your releases… your gigs… etc!
TORMENT is a Brutal death grind band that was formed 5 years ago. The actual line up is me ( Mathieu – drums), Xav (guitar) and Max (vocals, the new one). We are currently only 3 individuals in the band because our previous bassist has left for family reasons and Mat (our ex guitarist) has left for professional reasons? Since their leaving, it’s hard for us to find some musicians that would fit, so we’re searching for a bassist in an active way, so that we can finalize our set and do a lot of gigs!
2. Where does the TORMENT name come from and what does it represent for you?
In fact, if I remember well you spoke about this name while you were in the band, and we said « Yep, it’s brutal ! » I think so… The word TORMENT comes from the lyrics of a BOLT THROWER track on « Warmaster ».
3. Several other bands use the TORMENT name (a Belgian one, a German one and one from the South America). Did you get into troubles with them?
No, we never got any trouble with them, but Xav told me TORMENT was the label of a Spanish perfume.
( Gab: The
German band who uses this name since more than ten years weren’t
so happy about it and wanted TORMENT to change its name because
they own several CDs…. But as the two bands doesn’t play the same
style and aren’t in the same scene, the problem has more or less
solved from itself…)
4. You play a Brutal death metal with a quite old school and obscure touch. How would you define your style? What are your influences?
Our music is emotionally aggressive, dark and persecuting. We really play it with a special emotion, and also with some cramps because Xavier fins some riffs those hurts in every meanings of the word (it’s normal when you’re an unconditional fan of Suffocation).
5. I’ll release your 2nd Demo on CD format on my small label NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST. Tell us more about it while you’re still at the recording phases. What do you except from this deal?
At the moment I’m writing these lines, we haven’t finished the drums’ parts, because I’ve got a big problem with my double bass playing. We had to stop for a bout 10 months and I can’t play properly some things, but I’m working on it whenever I can. Once the release will be finished, we hope to kill some guys with our music, and why not to get the interest from some labels.
6. I know you regularly have done some gigs since the beginning of the band. How would you explain the fact you were a little band that even didn’t own a demo, but you have succeeded in playing gigs in a cool amount of places in the same suburb., while some more known bands complain from finding few gigs? Maybe did you accept some « special » services asked by the barmen? Some more or less decent stuffs? Ah Ah ! Let us know everything on how to find gigs in one’s suburb!
Infact, we didn’t do so many gigs with TORMENT. We didn’t play one since 2 or 3 years. About the barmen, we suck but we don’t kiss.
7. I know your new vocalist is quite young. How does it happen for the writing of the vocals’ parts. Has he got a sufficient metal knowledge for this?
Max is 17 years old but he seems old than this, mainly for his mind. I think for his age, he has has a quite bizarre life, but he’s very motivated and ha has got a lot of things to express. In the way he screams, one can feel some hatred, some suffering. But sometimes Xavier and I have to tell him not to force too much on his vocals as it may turn shitty. Despite this, there’s some work needed, as well as for I and Xavier
8. What does your lyrics deal with? Who writes in the band?
The lyrics deal with the torment and the life of one or the other band member. It’s quite psychological and it’s a good therapy for us.
9. Which drummer has influenced your drum playing? Which one is actually your fave drummer?
The drummer that was the most influential to me is Pete Sandoval, for his energical and hyper tight drumming. There are also a good amount of other drummers that has nothing to do with metal, such as Dennis Chambers, Sonny Emory, Bill Buford…etc. Recently; the one that really killed me is the NILE drummer, his playing is impressive at every levels!
10. I know you’re dubbing your drumkit during the rehearsals, that you work on your sound. I know well a drummer and he told me it brings a lot for the drumplaying (for the tightness and clean aspect of the playing). Can you tell us more about it?
Yes it happens that I dub my drumkit, but only when I’ve got the needed material. When the drums are dubbed, I’m searching for the sound that makes me trip the more, and then I feel some thrills. This is only positive for my progress, my creativity, and then you realize all your imperfections.
11. Which drumming material do you use? Which different drumkits did you use? Do you prefer the very artificial drumkits (the ones recorded in studio with lots of effects) or the ones that have got a more traditional sound (with an almost « saucepan sound » sometimes…)
I own a monster that costs around 6000 euros, this is a remo “ master edge ” 2 bass drums 22’, 1 snare drum picolo, 4 toms 8’ 10’ 12’ 14’ all this on a gibraltar rack, 1 ride and 1 charlé paiste 302 ( I own these since the beginnings), 4 sabian : 1crash ride B8 pro 18’, 1 crash 16’ B8 pro, 1 crash B8 pro and 1 thin crash B8 ( that’s a bit folded) and 2 triggers G.C Ddrum red shot (and 4 ones more will come soon for the toms), with a DTXpress modul ( the advantage is I can have two different sounds, one for Torment and the other one for Amethyste), but for Torment, I think I’ll keep a more traditional sound, neither for the bass drums. On the other hand a natural snare drums sound is better because I’m doing a lot of variations on levels and it’s better to keep a pure snare sound. I’ve started on a drumkit that couldn’t be more classical, it’s a vega (I still own it).
12. And if I was asking you to do a list of the 5 worst drummers you ever heard in Extreme metal? (It’s not easy since we forget them most of the time…)
OUCH!!! This one is very hard to answer. I know a few ones anyway, such as the Tyrthing drummer (I’m not sure about the spelling), but this Black metal band we saw live at the « Jackthorn » in Outer/ Belgium. The guy had a shitty drum playing. The drummer of Avulsed (we saw live during the same gig) wasn’t very good, but he may have progressed since this time.
13. You were recording your second demo in June/ July 2002, and I know you had some problems at this level. What has happened?
Yes, in fact the guy who recorded us left with my mixing console. But he came back sometimes later, so I was able to hopefully get it back! Hopefully because this bastard was going to steal my mixing material! I saw him again at the right moment! the FUCKER !!!
14. Some members of TORMENT are also a part of AMETHYSTE. Let us know more about them! Is it easy to be a part of 2 formations that evolves in the same spectral of extreme music? And this without any problem of ego, composition, availability…?
I’ve ever been asked this question several times, but Xav (who is also the bass player in Amethyste) and I both find ourselves in their music, because it’s not the same feeling and it’s very deep, it’s very different from the music of Torment. It’s not the same way of evacuating our pulsions, because their style is more atmospheric, so there are no egoistic problems. But the availability of Xav isn’t always the best since he has got a full-time job. I also have got the possibility to work on an experimental and atmospheric music project… in shot words it’s a delirium. It’d be with the previous bassist of Amethyste, but I’m waiting a bit…
15. In 1998 you’ve released a split tape with SANITYS DAWN, CEREBRAL TURBULENCY and INTENSE HAMMER RAGE. Did it bring some interesting opportunities? What’s your opinion about these bands?
This tape didn’t
really bring us a lot of contacts, only a polish zine in which we
were interviewed and a German one that sent us some support words.
Despite from this, we got nothing else. The only band that shreds
on this split tape is SANITYS DAWN, I didn’t find the other ones
that good (all the more we haven’t got this fucking tape. (Don’t
worry! I’ve found some in distro… It’s coming! Gab)
On the
other hand, I saw CEREBRAL TURBULENCY live, and their style is now
an ugly Hardcore crust…
16. What’s your opinion about the extreme metal scene of the « Nord pas de Calais »? (Northern suburb of France in which they live) which bands would you advice us?
I don’t know that many bands, all the more I knew fewer that are worth the listening. Despite of BYATIS (I use this opportunity to fuck them off!) who are some good friends, they will release an album soon (I’ve had the opportunity to listen to this one before the final mix) with a killer sound, there’s also GERBE OF LIFE (if they’re still alive… Gab: Yes they are !), DISGUST, YYRKOON, SCARVENGER And AMETHYSTE of course.
17. There are a good of bands into the Porno Grind/ Noise shit styles in your suburb, with bands like Gronibard, Putrefaktion, The bitch Project that looses in a way all the links with the original spirit of underground metal. What’s your opinion about this style?
If they like what they’re doing, that’s fine more me. But personally I’m not a part of those who listen to this, and I don’t want to interest myself to this style!
18. What are you doing in the professional life? Is it enough to « feed » the band (financially speaking) or do you have to work clandestinely all the more?
I’m working in a pizzeria in which I’m a delivery man, from time to time I’m doing the pizzaiolo because it’s more funny. But before this, I used to work as an organizer in a karaoke to be able to buy my drumkit (this job has lobotomized my skull). Xav is working at the postal services, he’s has at least a job for his whole life.
19. What are the last 5 metal bands that has strongly marked yourself?
Nile “ in their darkened… ”, Disgust “ in aternum ”, Hate eternal “ king of all kings ”, Mayhem “ the grand declaration of war ”( the first part) and “ wolf….. ” and the 5 or 6 first tracks of Napalm Death’s “ enemy of music buisness ” de Napalm death.
20. What are the last 5 non metal bands that has strongly marked yourself ?
Projekt one,
Massive attack, Alif tree, Primus and Addagio albinoni (classical
msuic composer)…
The
cover of the forthcoming Demo CD
21. As I take care of your site and as I’ll do the promo of your second demo in the following months… What’s in your opinion the worst thing I could do to rip you off ? What are your fears at this level? Did you ever went through negative tripps about it?
Honestly, I don’t think you’d rip us off, we trust you totally and this idea even haven’t crossed our minds. But if you’ve got the will to do so, we know where to find you!!!
( Don’t do too much, things will run warmer in my slip ! Ah Ah… Don’t worry, everything are planned! I’ll go an live in another house whenever I’ve done a massive rip off affair! Ah Ah! There will be for several thousands of Dollars! ! Lol Gab)
22. I let you conclude this interview!
Before all, thanks a lot for all what you’re doing for us and for the extreme metal, then thanks to the peoples who have taken the time to read my craps… And if you’re curious about knowing what we’re doing, visit our website www.torment.fr.st or contact use at this adress : Desaint Mathieu 15, avenue de la bourdonnais 62520 Le touquet, France.
Web site: http://www.torment.fr.st
