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 BLASTING GRINDOMANIA

GRINDING BLASTORAMA

INTERVIEW 2013
 


(Some questions are outdated of a few months, now some of the band's records are out and available... But the english translation sometimes takes time...


 

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1. Hello Gautier, is it blasting in Angouleme? What's new?

Hello Gab. Yes in fact it's blasting in Angouleme. Things are slowing taking shape again after a hiatus of a good year during which our drummer went to Canada.
The news are loaded with the release of our next one-sided LP entitled "Fast music means love", the discography CD entitled "50 love hymns for grindheads", the "In grindo veritas" compilation to be released on Kaotoxin records, and also other surprises to come but, be quiet, it remains a secret... Ha ha!!!
I feel quite strange answering an interview for you, we know each others since a long time, it seems like two friends who finally have sex together. It's dirty ha ha!

 

2. For those who aren't familiar with the band, could you introduce yourselves in exactly 12 words?(PAF! Using a sentence or pasting a biography is forbidden! Only use words! (To keep the instinctive approach). I'm boring at the very beginning, I know, it's very good preliminaries Héhé)

Ha ha, yes it's different from having to retype the biography! I like the idea, but it's not so easy.
Blastbeat, grind core, DIY, concerts, vinyl, violence, love, friendship, share, split, squat, co-production.

 

3. So since my readership is quite focused on fans of embalmed Death metal and viscous brutal death, in your opinion what could please them in the music of YATTAI? The fact it's blasting, the energy? And what else?

The peoples who enjoy death metal also often enjoy extreme music in a more general manner. So effectively, even if the main basis would be the speed and the energy, I think some more convoluted parts could interest them. I especially think about tracks with a lot of harmonized guitars ("I wanna Be a Californian Punk Rocker" and "There's a Whale under the Rock" for example), or quieter but still intense ones ("The gull"), or even some to be darker with little black metal touches ("The common People Lifetime").
Even if we embrace a regressive approach (We focus on the primal efficiency, in the way of approaching riffs as well as compositions), we never avoided the little pleasures of mixing influences. So some tracks squarely show our death metal roots, we almost all come from death metal bands ("Evil Daniel Style", "Bleuarrrrgh"), and there also are more "danceable" things closer to Napalm Death from the 90's epoch (The "Napalm dance" track for example).
In short, with exactly 67 tracks and a will to explore various realms, while remaining efficient, the curious listeners could find their happiness.

 


4. What pleases me well in the music of YATTAI is the quite explosive grindcore energy, some kind of stress that would only ask to be released from the vice... It's cool to see you achieved to have this rendering on a studio recording, because it's not necessarily the case of every bands... So I wonder how your gigs could sound like, is it musically more intense than on record? Is this an explosive big capharnaum?

First of all, thanks baby for these nice words.
In fact playing this kind of music is some kind of outlet at the end. After a rehearsal, a recording or a gig, we are all emptied and happy.
To give so much energy on creative and physical points of view often leaves us empty from any negative energy. This is what the band wants to convey: A positive and communicative energy.
The studio rendering you approach also comes from the fact we record everything in one take, or almost (Only the vocals are recorded separately). The disadvantage is we have to start everything again in case of a too big latency in the playing of an instrument (Or also to keep some playing mistakes, eh yes, we shouldn't be afraid to say so), but it is good to have this so particular rendering, I find it to be so warm.
In short, we aren't the preachers of a recording process in particular, but this one fits our needs the best. It is imperfect, but straight to the point and explosive.
The gigs are important moments for us, because we give everything we have. Really everything.
However we might be in front of 2 or 200 peoples, a concert of Yattai will always be the most intense possible. It is important for us to give so much energy to the crowd, this is what they came for: Musical violence, the whole with seriousness, a good state of mind and warm atmosphere. Because this is what we want to see when were are attending a gig. We aren't there to take a pose ha ha!
And trust me Gab, on stage our music is much more violent than on record. And the more receptive the crowd is, the more intense the music is... Sometimes our set can even be much shorter because we want to bring so much of ourselves.

 

5. The music of the band has changed quite a lot since the first demo with a drum-machine, your stuff became more intense, and it's also more twisted now! Do you think the fact of always getting deeper in the working-life could have an influence on what you have to release from the underwears, or then it might be due to the guitar lessons with Yngwie Malmsteem you got the luck to follow? (It even seems you took the "GOLD" feature, I wonder what it stands for?)

So I think you confuse the beginnings of Yattai with one of my previous bands called Glaucoma. We never had a drum-machine. This said, Glaucoma is still active, but without me and with no drum-machine ha ha!!!!
But yes, the discography CD (Small infiltration of personal promotion, you see?) will show our way of approaching music evolved, and I hope in the right way. We try to remain the most instinctive possible, working more on the composition and the sound.
Strangely, even if we lifted our compositions to the max, you're not the only one to find it twisted. I think the love of our guitarist (Will) for dissonant guitars isn't stranger to this ha ha!!!!
The working-life, and simply the life (Because three of us now have children) disables a lot of underground bands. It takes a lot of time (And money) to play in a band and keep it alive. So if we keep it alive, higher expectations are a real plus. Even if it's little by little, we have to go on and progress. Our recordings should always be better, as well as our playing of instruments. To remain true to principles of spontaneity doesn't prevent from trying to offer something always better at all.
And also, our line up is stable since a long time, it helps to know the right direction to follow.
So yes, the working-life only reinforced this big desire to release all we have in the underwears, and even more.
Speaking about Yngwie, we are in a quarrel since a few weeks, he can't stand the fact my skills are better than his ones... In short, this remains a personal problem and I won't talk about it there.
 

     


6. I had the opportunity to listen to your last album in preview, and this gave me the feeling of a more professional band, with a bigger sound. It is good, you thought about saving the remaining life from my little hears.  Jokes aside, wouldn't this last album become a little more "death" sometimes? (At least at the level of the sound). How are the feedbacks of the pressing press for now, and are you still satisfied with the album?

Once again, thanks baby for the compliments. Coming from you, it's really cool...
Some planning problems disabled us from entering the studio the d-day, but instead of cancelling this session that was planned for vocals we preferred to use it another way. With the help of our loyal sound engineer (Mez), we spent more time working on the production, trying guitar takes on various amps. This brings a chaotic edge to the whole and increases the presence of riffs. It is also a clear will since a few recordings: To improve the power of riff, not only using blastbeats in the forefront with other instruments in the back.
I don't think it's more death metal, but the biggest presence of guitars could have given this impression. This said, it's hard to have the necessary distance from your own creations. Each listener can define what he hears.
We received a few feedbacks from medias right now, the promotion only began, but all the friends who listened to the album said it's our best opus. We sincerely hope so, we put a lot of heart and energy into this.
The final rendering obviously pleases us. Speaking for myself, I would have liked to get more time for vocals. 3 hours is short haha !!! And also I'm more distant now, I live 400 km from the rehearsal room now. And I'm the kind of guy to get involved in the compositions, it has been harder than usual this time.
So if I had to be picky, I would say the whole resembles myself a bit fewer. But it's really a few little picky thoughts, because trust me: We are proud of the recording!

 

7. This last album was for now released on vinyl, and surprising thing: Music can only be found on one side of the record. Since I'm not an expert in the vinyl press, I would ask you the following question: Is this cheaper to have music pressed on an only side of the record? Or would it eventually bring a sound of a better quality since the furrows of the first side would be much deeper? ***HELP***

In this case, a bastard situation led us to this choice.
We wanted to release both our new album and discography CD on the same record... But, to our surprise, the length was too long. So we were forced to separate the two, on two separate records. Most of the involved labels were ready for a vinyl, this is something we love so we didn't think for too long. But then, another problem! The recording was too long for a 7".
And since the press of 10" records isn't really affordable, the solution then became to make a one sided 12".
And yes, the price is cheaper than for a 12" with music on both sides, but it remains more expensive than a 7". I hope my words are understandable.

It will be a beautiful object. I'm working on it since months. I can't wait to handle the result in my hands, believe me.
I use this opportunity to thank all the labels who helped us to release this record, so there is:
Junky Monkey Records : http://junkymonkeydiy.blogspot.fr
Underground Pollution Records : http://undergroundpollution.e-monsite.com
Douchebags Records : http://douchebagrecords.blogspot.com
Horned Terrör Incarnated Productions : www.church-ov-ze-dead.com
Nuclear Alcoholocaust : http://nuclearalcoholocaustrec.webs.com
Rewolucja Records : www.rewolucjarecords.com
No Way Asso : http://nowayasso.blogspot.com
Crustatombe : http://crustatombe.free.fr

 

8. You have released quite a lot of split Eps and short duration recording since the beginnings of the band, and lately you had the opportunity to gather everything in a discography compilation. Explain us a bit what the listener could find inside.

It's easy, the content resides in all we did between 2004 and 2011!
So there is:
- demo 2005 CDR
- split CDR w/GASTRICK BURST (2006)
- split CD w/CAKEWET (2007)
- split EP w/GRUNT GRUNT (2008)
- Teriak Compilation CD (2008)
- split CD w/KRUPSKAYA (2009) (Never released)
- split EP w/FANTASTIKOL HOLE (2009)
- split CD w/JACK (2010)
- split EP w/TREPAN DEAD (2011) (Never released)

50 tracks for almost one hour of music. No less than 13 unreleased songs (The joys of labels who rip you off or suddenly disappear), some hard to find tracks (From CDr splits that were released to very few copies, and we never got the luck to receive ha ha)

Apart from finally offering the unpublished songs, we also wanted to answer the requests of peoples who don't own a vinyl player and wanted to own these recordings.
It is in no way a question of ripping peoples of, but to offer them a global vision of the band's evolution on a single record, and they can get some unreleased songs as a bonus. The whole for an affordable price, obviously.
This CD will be a coproduction between these following friends:
Inhuman Homicide Records : http://inhumanhomicide.free.fr
Obskure Sombre Records : http://obskuresombrerecords.blogspot.com
Teriak Records : www.teriakrecords.com

 

9. Until recently I thought Powerviolence was something like a more "core" version of grindcore, mostly with vocals to be more "screamy" and guitars to sound a bit more "Crrr", but I could read on some forums that this kind of music could be much more extreme than regular grindcore. Ok, the guys were maybe thinking about quite relaxed old school grindcore, with a round atmosphere and death metal influences in the riffs, but when I listen to "From Enslavement to obliteration" by NAPALM DEATH or "A chapter of accidents" by DEAD INFECTION I say to myself there weren't many records to be more extreme since then (On an emotional point of view, then if the drummer is blasting a bit faster this is another question...)
Since I'm not an expert of what occurs at the level of Grindcore/ Powerviolence, would you show enough kindness to explain me what are the noticeable differences between classical grindcore and powerviolence? (Without taking in account the more relaxed "lazy" grindcore or the "Grind metal" that contains more death influences in the riffs)

This question leads to many more questions. The border is sometimes hard to distinguish. I think PV has even more punk roots than grindcore. The sonorities are rawer indeed, with more high pitched frequencies that bring this feeling of emergency (I consider as a characteristic of the genre).
The idea of "more or less violent" and "more or less fast" is absurd in itself. The important thing is  each listener to find what he needs in the music, isn't it?
I currently pay no attention to these stickers. Many bands aligned under the same banner are completely different, sticking them with few words only gives an idea of their sound, that's all.
Personally, I have a problem to catch the common points between Fuck on the Beach or Lack of Interest for example, you see what I mean? It is both so different and similar... Same for the examples you quoted... In short, these discussions are good for purists. I am and I am not a part of them. As said before, the important is what you search (And then find) in the music.
I stopped asking myself too many questions on this subject, because I was making nodes in my head. For example, punks called us metallers, and metallers called us punks... After some time, you don't pay attention to this anymore.
With years, we act more and more an instinctive manner. Only the attitude and values should remain strong, then the remaining...
But if some advised peoples are able to define our music better, I can take it. We mostly try to inspire ourselves from anything that pleases us, whatever might be the kind of music. We stick our style as "grind" for reasons of convenience, nothing else.
So, here you have a question without a real answer, sorry...

 

10. If I tell you "FLOWER POWER VIOLENCE", what do you think about? HuHu

I think our positive side could get along with this idea... At least if we play power violence for real ha ha!

 

11. Can we find interesting grindcore bands in the area of Angouleme? (This said, are there Death metal or brutal death bands?)

Angouleme became a grind bastion since a few years.
The good ones are Atara, our friends of Grunt Grunt and Vengeance. 3 bands with different musical approaches that I appreciate both humanly and musically. Be quick and listen to their sounds!
I confess I'm not aware about the existence of death metal bands. There used to be some black metal ones, but then again I'm not informed...
I must say we mostly know the peoples who use the same rehearsal place than we do. So we meet a lot of guys from various musical horizons, but from the genres you requested I unfortunately don't...
 

 
 

12. YATTAI is also a Japanese restaurant in San Nicolás de los Garzas, Mexico. You seem to pay a lot of importance to import/ export and mondialization!

Yes we are vile marketers who thought about export since the very first days! Ha ha! Yattai can take two meanings in Japanese: It's the name of little street stalls, and it also means "super"!
This said, you should know this wasn't planned, this name is the fruit of an ethylic delirium and a will to roll away from the habits of the genre.
But I won't mention the real reasons that lead us to choose this name, it's too shameful ha ha!

 

13. Before YATTAI you had a grindcore project called GLAUCOMA. Could we find any link between both, or then stop, bad idea, there's nothing in common between both?

Stop bad idea there's no link between both, except a pleasure that was shared with many peoples and some experience to be earned as a bonus. I always deeply enjoyed the projects I was involved in, trust me.

 

14. Few years ago you were also running an underground label. For those who aren't familiar, could you tell us few words about it? Aren't you somewhat nostalgic of all the time spent answering mails, preparing packages, going at the post office? Do you think you could start again one day, or then one should be lucid, it becomes more and more complicated to sell records?

The label was called Dead Cirkus records. I even don't remember when I stopped, but for sure it began the year 2000. The first record was the Mesrine album entitled “Going to the morgue”. Then there was the Glaucoma/Mesrine split 7", the Lycanthrophy/Nesoucast Stroje split 7", I don't remember the releases' order but there were also Da Grind split CD (Sickbag, Disaster, Elysium and Desecrator), EST/Fantastikol Hole split CD, Eat Shit Experience MCD... Pfiou, all of this stuff...
Yes, to be honest I really miss it. But I don't have the time anymore to make things correctly. I attend few gigs, I have a little girl, and a job I like (But that can take up to 80 hours a week), so in these conditions it's already enough to be able to play in bands (I'm also a part of Grist).
But I really miss it, I would really like to release "Da Grind 2" on vinyl. It would be great... I also thought about it very often lately, nowadays France is full of great new bands in the style, it would have been the perfect moment... And Yattai would be a part of it of course ha ha !!!
 

     
 

15. Now the band released its first album, didn't you reach a "special point", and what could the listeners expect from the following? Some kind of continuity in blastification, or potential changes at the level of music? (You never know, Relapse might be interested?)

To reach a special point, I think it's too strong words.
Let's say we'll keep on doing our thing, at our speed.
What could peoples expect... First we will hang brands, then we will play few European festivals in 2013.
Musically speaking, I think we will keep on searching for efficiency before all. I can't tell more, we haven't begun the composition process. And since it's very important for us not to intellectualize our music... It should come from itself, from the guts.
It should, in our opinion, remain "The feeling before all". Many tracks were thrown away because it wasn't instinctive enough.
All of this to say we will be led by our feelings and desires of the moment.  But it will be blasting, it's certain. The goal is also to offer a few surprise. So expect continuity in the evolution ha ha!!!
Concerning Relapse... Honestly we don't care much about it... It's not our goal. And I doubt it would happen one day. (But it doesn't prevent us from sleeping, far from this ha ha!)
To release our records is what matters. And the peoples we collaborate with are great. This is enough to be fairly happy.

 

16. That's it, the interview is over. I let you conclude and add a thin layer of jam if you wish.

Thanks Gab for this interview. I am as surprised as delighted.
I hope I wasn't too talkative and these lines will encourage some listeners to discover our music. Thanks for your attention, and keep an eye on us. The best is still and always to come.
Kiss and blast!
Gautier for Yattai

gautiertubbs(a)hotmail.fr
http://yattai.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/YattaiGrind
 

    
 

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