Interview with death metal band from France - MUERTISSIMA.
Recenze/review - MUERTISSIMA - Prophecy (2026):
Ave MUERTISSIMA! I'm listening to your new album "Prophecy" right now, and I'm thinking that this is what the music at the end of the world will sound like. I think you've really pulled off a masterpiece. How do you feel about the new album? Have you gotten any feedback from fans yet? Have you played the new songs live yet? How do they work?
El Pradosaure:
Thank you very much!!!
So far, we’ve only received really positive feedback. And having played the new songs live and seen how they were received by the audience, yes, we can say that we’ve succeeded!!!
When you’re caught up in the creative process, it’s never easy to know how the songs will be received. And to be honest, that’s not a determining factor in the way we compose, because art goes beyond individual tastes.
However, seeing that our music is enjoyed so much definitely warms our hearts.
François (Bass) : Thank you so much for “this is what the music at the end of the world will sound like” : we couldn’t get a better compliment for Prophecy!!!!
As El Pradosaure just said, we only got positive feedbacks either about or about the live performances we’ve played so far.
How do new songs for MUERTISSIMA actually come about? Are you a traditional band that locks itself in the rehearsal room and composes there, or do you use the internet, which is so popular these days, and send ideas to each other by email? I'm interested in the creative process itself.
El Pradosaure:
As for the creative process, I’m the one who initiates it. I first record a solid foundation of the song with just my guitar and a poorly programmed drum track to give it some substance (haha). Then I send this first version to the guys, and we work on it together until everyone has found their place.
Nickolathor : We use both. There is indeed a foundation initiated by El Pradosaure, followed by working sessions in pairs with Gévaudan, as they are neighbors. After each session, they send us their new ideas via the internet, as François and I live much further away. Everyone works on their own, while still communicating with the others, so that when we meet for rehearsals, the songs are almost in their final version.
Gévaudan: I keep modifying stuff… I kinda love to do that, hahaha
The lyrics are a separate chapter for MUERTISSIMA. What are they about on the new album and where did you get your inspiration for them? On "Prophecy" they fit the music perfectly. Which came first, the music or the lyrics?
Gévaudan: The music came first. I wrote a series of lyrics independently, then marched them with the appropriate songs. Sometimes I had to rewrite certain lines so they fit in the structure. Actually, some of them are heavily inspired by bands like Disfear or G/Z//R. Most of the time, everything starts with a certain rhythm pattern, then I put words on it.
I must admit that the cover for "Prophecy" is excellent – it fits the music perfectly! It literally gives you the creeps. How did you choose the cover and why did you choose Matthias Bonhoure (Macchabée Artworks)? Did he hear the new songs in advance for inspiration? If I'm not mistaken, he used to play guitar with you?
El Pradosaure:
Yes, Matthias was MUERTISSIMA’s first lead guitarist. When he had his first child, he left the band. It was a decision that had been made long before, he had told me that he wanted to start a family and that it would eventually become incompatible with being in the band.
It’s important to know that Mat creates all the band’s visuals. What I love about working with him is that we’re very close friends and we understand each other extremely well. When I explained my vision for this cover to him, he immediately understood where I wanted to go with it, and I had almost nothing to change when he showed me the first drafts.
And yes, Mat was able to follow the entire creative process and the development of the album. He’s someone I trust blindly, and his opinion is often very valuable to me.
The sound of the entire recording is great. It's dark, cold, and sharp at the same time. In which studio did you record the album? Did you, as a band, have a say in the final sound and mastering?
El Pradosaure:
For the guitar and bass recordings, we handled everything ourselves.
As for the drums, vocals, and acoustic guitars, we went to Lower Tones Place Studio. It’s a studio not far from where we live, and Edgar, the sound engineer, does a great job.
For the mixing and mastering, we worked with Niko HK at Vamacara Studio. Niko has a lot of experience and has worked with well-known bands such as Loudblast, just to name one. His vision and experience really helped us refine our sound and achieve the power we were looking for. We’re completely satisfied with his work.
Nickolathor : Edgar and I took the time to find the sound we wanted for the drums on this album, which was really enjoyable because nowadays, being able to take time over the details is a real luxury! Behind that, Niko's mix is fabulous, with each instrument in its place, powerful with a touch of modernity, far beyond what we could have imagined.
The new album was released by the German label Fetzner Death Records. Why did you choose this label and how satisfied are you with their work?
François : i’ve been lucky enough to have my other band Tragos to sign a deal with Fetzner Death Records a few weeks prior to Muertissima.
Considering that working with Alexander (FDR’s boss) was very easy and productive, it felt natural to send him our demo….he enjoyed it and signed us!!!!
The band's history dates back to 2017. How did the idea to form MUERTISSIMA come about? Who was your role model? Please reminisce for us and take us through the band's history!
El Pradosaure:
MUERTISSIMA is my baby. I had wanted for a while to create my own band with my own compositions, and above all, I wanted to have control over who I was going to make music with and to play with people I truly get along with. The goal was also to live an adventure where everyone enjoys themselves.
Despite that, we did have a few lineup changes, but today the team is absolutely perfect. When I see the great chemistry within the band, the amazing moments we share on the road playing shows, the laughs during rehearsals, I tell myself that I’m living my dream.
It's very clear from your band how much you enjoy your music. Do you have any goals you would like to achieve? For some, it's a famous record label, others want to play at a big festival.
El Pradosaure:
When we play together, there is this kind of inexplicable symbiosis that you can only feel when making music with people you deeply appreciate, and that feeling is one of the best in the world.
As for MUERTISSIMA’s goals, they remain, all in all, quite humble: we only aim for world domination.
François : Playing big stages with a big audience remains my main goal!!!!
Gévaudan: Same here!
Nickolathor : It's clear that we love playing together, and I think that shows when we're on stage. There's a contagious good mood among the audience, and sharing these moments with them is wonderful because, for me, that's the very essence of why we do all this. Making music in your studio doesn't make sense if it's not meant to be shared with others. So yes, we want to continue introducing our music to more and more people and playing on bigger and bigger stages. Muertissima headlining Wacken would be a good goal, wouldn't it? Ha ha ha
Some of the members of MUERTISSIMA also play in other bands. You are experienced musicians, and I would be interested to know who has the final say in your band? Who decides how a song will sound and look?
El Pradosaure:
I am in charge of the band’s artistic direction. From experience, I’ve been in bands where everyone tried to decide everything, and it was chaos; it just didn’t work.
That said, I make a point of constantly consulting the guys on what we’re going to do and making sure they all agree, because it’s really important that everyone is on the same page with what we’re building together.
What is it like to play death metal in France? Do people come to your concerts? Do they support you, buy your CDs? When you organize an event, how many people come?
El Pradosaure:
Playing death metal in France is a real pleasure, even though we have to acknowledge that the venues that allow us to perform on stage are unfortunately becoming increasingly rare.
In France, there is a very large community of metal fans, and at each of our shows, we get a good crowd. Most importantly, we can see that people really enjoy themselves when we play.
The number of attendees really depends on the cities and venues where we perform, but on average, the venues are about three-quarters full. It’s always a pleasure to interact with fans at the merch stand after our shows because yes, French metal fans support bands by buying their merchandise
François : The French music scene is often underestimated, even though it's full of hidden gems.
Nickolathor : There is a death metal scene in France, even if it's not as big as in Scandinavia, for example. French death metal is internationally recognized thanks to Gojira, Benighted, Gorod and others, and this notoriety has an impact on smaller bands in France because the audience is very knowledgeable, demanding, and eager to discover the next gem. So when a band is popular, fans don't hesitate to support it.
Death metal is a demanding hobby and an even more demanding lifestyle. What does it mean to you? What do you enjoy most about it and how do you perceive it? How did you get into it?
El Pradosaure:
Death metal is indeed a very demanding lifestyle. For me, the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is handle the band’s business, and it’s the last thing I do before going to bed.
I’ve organized my entire life around the band. I have a job that allows me to be flexible for booking shows and also provides skills that are useful to the band. I have neither a wife nor children, and every day I work on improving my instrument. To stay in shape for concerts and to handle tours, I do a lot of daily exercise
François : Death metal has flowed in my veins since my adolescence. I can't imagine my life without Death Metal. When l was 14, l was into Slayer, Sepultura, Metallica etc….then a good friend of mine lent me a cassette tape with Butchered at Birth on it….and that was it, l knew, at this exact moment, what my life will be all about.
Gévaudan: Well, I’m more of a sludge person if you ask me. But I used to listen to a lot of death metal when I was younger. I had a death metal band more than two decades ago, which left me with a bitter memory, and I think that's the reason why I didn't do much death metal before joining Muertissima.
Nickolathor : When you play death metal, you know it requires discipline and a huge investment; you don't get there by chance. “Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” doesn't mix at all with extreme metal. That's exactly what I like about this style, this constant search for balance between power, speed, technicality, and musicality.
I deliberately ask this question to all bands so that they can promote themselves a little for the future. Please tell us what MUERTISSIMA has planned for the near future. What can we look forward to? If you have something on your mind and would like to say it to your fans, labels, or promoters, here's your chance…
El Pradosaure:
What we have planned for the future is to conquer this world… and all the others MOUHAHAHA !!!!
… Sorry, too much coffee this morning…
In the near future, many concerts and festivals. Then, when we feel the time is right to lock ourselves back in the studio, we will write a new album
Thank you very much for the interview, and I wish MUERTISSIMA lots of record sales and sold-out venues. I wish you all the best in your personal life as well. I look forward to the next death metal apocalypse!
Recenze/review - MUERTISSIMA - Prophecy (2026):
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