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Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkemmelodic doom metal. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky
Zobrazují se příspěvky se štítkemmelodic doom metal. Zobrazit všechny příspěvky

úterý 25. března 2025

Interview - INBORN SUFFERING - Freezing, poignant, melodic doom death metal full of loneliness, melancholy and pain of everyday life!


Interview with doom death metal band from France - INBORN SUFFERING.

Answers by Emmanuel Ribeiro (bass), thank you!

Recenze/review - INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome (2025):

Ave INBORN SUFFERING! It's been a while since I received your new album "Pale Grey Monochrome" for review. And you immediately made it to the imaginary top of my personal doom death metal chart. The first time I encountered the new release was in the cold weather, when it got very cold. It was very pleasant for me to just listen, read and let the time pass. How was the album made and how do you think it differs from the previous album "Wordless Hope"?

Hello, thank you for giving us the opportunity to answer these cool questions!
PGM differs from the previous albums due to, at least, three things:
The first one, the album was made as a sort of therapy. It talks a lot about my personal experiences during the past five years. I have written almost all the lyrics and the main theme of the album.

Secondly, Laurent wrote almost all the music for the first time. He had a lot of ideas and wanted to try doing melodic doom death songs. The music and his amazing voice fit perfectly with the lyrics. Stephane was busy with his other band, Fractal Gates, so after finishing his duty with them, he started writing the music and the lyrics of ‘The Oak’, talking about his own experiences and doing a lot of arrangements and all the keyboards on the album.

The last thing was that we have not played together for more than a decade and it was a long distance composition, really different than doing rehearsals and searching for inspiration together.”


Let's go back in history a bit. INBORN SUFFERING was formed in 2020 in Paris. Then (in 2012) you went on hiatus for ten years and came back in 2022. It's not easy to start again nowadays. Or did you not stop your activity? Why haven't you been heard from?

Wow…2002, that was a long, long time ago. It was not easy to restart the music now. After rereleasing the demo we talked about doing a ‘one more thing’ song, because we went on hiatus with a lot of anger and animosity towards each other. All activity with Inborn Suffering was completely stopped in 2012.

The new stuff has exactly the kind of cool, clear sound that I really like. It's signed by the master Olmo Lipani (Déhà). We all know his work. I'd be interested to know how you collaborated, how you got together and why him? With what feelings did you leave the studio?

The recording was actually done by Stephane at home, with the mix and the mastering by Déhá, I wanted Déhá because he has helped me a lot to keep my mind out of the water during the last years. And not only with this music, we talked a lot too.

He is singing too on ‘From Lowering Tides’. Laurent had already worked with him with Mourning Dawn and he does an amazing job.


When I look at the cover, it makes me a bit uncomfortable in a way. I like it, but there's a strange uneasiness to it. Beautiful work. Who's the artist and why did you choose this particular motif? What exactly is it supposed to express and how does it relate to the music?

The artist is Franck Besançon, he specialises in horror art. He’s a good friend of Stephane and he has worked on Silent Hill: Townfall, one of the next games in the Silent Hill franchise.

You can see bodies trying to find light but there is always someone pushing you down into the dark. It’s a great representation of depression, but also of the world nowadays. He has done an amazing job.

The lyrics on your records are about death, sadness, pain. Where do you get inspiration for them? Who is their author? And what are they about on the new album?

I am the author of all the lyrics except ‘The Oak’. All the themes of the album talk about depression and especially about my own experience over the last few years. So inspiration was simple…just picking fragments of my life.


For the new song "The Oak" you have such a melancholic, very captivating and well shot video. Who is its author and how did he manage to combine the images with interesting and for me almost personal lyrics so beautifully?

Stephane did everything for ‚The Oak‘; the song, the lyrics, the clip. It’s all made with free images and it‘s a concept song talking about his own experience. He wanted the listener focus on the music instead of the lyrics - like reading the music and listening to the lyrics. I like to call it an upside down song. Probably the darkest thing we have done. The main singer is Fred from Wordless Hope

Is French nature influencing you in any way? Every time I hear a band from your country, I think that you can put such a special mood, melancholy, light progression into your songs. A lot of times I took the album to the woods in my country, just outside the city, and it felt like I was somewhere in the north.

Not for the lyrics, maybe more the sadness of the city we are living. Laurent lives in the south of France and he travels a lot. I think Nature is more an inspiration for him.

Paris has always been a centre of culture. But what about doom metal? It's not exactly a style that the crowds go to. At least that's the case here in the Czech Republic. Do you play with other doom metal bands or do you play more with bands from other styles? I think doom metal is a discipline that requires a different approach than, say, thrash or death metal. Do you tend to perform only at doom festivals or do you play with "everyone"?

We have a great doom scene here, starting with Hangman’s Chair.

We have played with a lot of bands over the years, especially doom metal bands. We don’t play anymore but we have played with Mar de Grises, Mourning Beloveth, Swallow the Sun, Before the Dawn, Saturnus, Ataraxie, Esoteric and Pantheist to name a few.


How do you perceive your scene in general? Gigs, fans, labels? There are quite a lot of gigs here, but only some of them are solidly attended. Plus, I feel like the younger fans are already listening to something a bit different. Do you also go to concerts as a fan? Do you follow the scene in Paris?

We have a lot of really good black metal bands in France, some doom or death bands and a lot of renowned labels like Les Acteurs de L’ombre, Season of Mist etc…

Younger fans here tend to listen a lot to things like deathcore.

I don’t go to a lot of concerts now, but last month I went to Houle/ Moonreich/ Penitence Onirique. Three great French black metal bands.

Personally, I find "Pale Grey Monochrome" to be such a polished stylistic gem, but it can also appeal to fans outside of doom death metal. The album is raw, but it also has a lot of memorable melodies. Where do you want to take the band? What is your goal? Someone is attracted by big festivals, someone wants a famous label. What are your dreams?

I really don’t know if the band will continue doing things . We were expected to do one song, we have made an album. There are no plans. I think Laurent will keep playing with Mourning Dawn but he doesn’t really have time anymore for Inborn Suffering for the moment. We have no plans with new songs or live events.

 

How did you get into music in the first place? Who was your role model? First gig? First gig as a musician? How about some wild experiences, readers are always interested in that:)).

I got into music with bands like New Order and A-ha - I’m a huge fan of A-ha!

My first gig as fan was Paradise Lost in 1995 and my first gig as a musician was in 2005 or 2006.

As for a wild experience, there was a gig in Belgium. The organiser told us one hour before we were due to play that he didn’t have the money to pay us. We played anyway because we were there and people were waiting for us. It was a good gig with My Lament.

I'd be interested in your relationship to music. What does it mean to you? Is it a hobby? A lifestyle?

Music is a way of life. I find peace listening to music. I listen to music all the time. There is are so many emotions you can find only in music

What is INBORN SUFFERING planning in the near future?

We have no plans for the moment.

Thank you very much for the interview, I appreciate it. I guess you can guess what I'm going to do. Sure, I'm going to go out into the woods and I'm going to take your new song "Pale Grey Monochrome" with me. It's delicious! I wish it sells well and that you are happy in your personal lives.

Thank you.

Recenze/review - INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome (2025):





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Rozhovor - INBORN SUFFERING - Mrazivý, drásavý, melodický doom death metal plný osamělostí, melancholie a bolesti všedních dní!


Rozhovor s doom death metalovou skupinou z Francie - INBORN SUFFERING.

Odpovídal Emmanuel Ribeiro (basa), děkujeme!

Recenze/review - INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome (2025):

Ave INBORN SUFFERING! Je to už nějaký čas, co jsem dostal vaše nové letošní album „Pale Grey Monochrome“ na recenzi. A ihned jste se dostali na pomyslnou špičku mého osobního doom death metalového žebříčku. Poprvé jsem se s novinkou setkal v sychravém počasí, kdy se hodně ochladilo. Bylo pro mě velmi příjemné jen tak poslouchat, číst si a nechat plynout čas. Jak album vznikalo a v čem se podle tebe odlišuje od předešlé desky „Wordless Hope“?

Dobrý den, děkujeme za možnost odpovědět na tyto zajímavé otázky!
PGM se od předchozích alb liší minimálně třemi věcmi:
První je, že album vzniklo jako určitý druh terapie. Hodně se na něm mluví o mých osobních zkušenostech z posledních pěti let. Téměř všechny texty a hlavní téma alba jsem napsal já.

Za druhé, Laurent napsal poprvé téměř celou hudbu. Měl spoustu nápadů a chtěl zkusit dělat melodické doom deathové písně. Hudba a jeho úžasný hlas se k textům skvěle hodily. Stephane byl zaneprázdněn svou druhou kapelou Fractal Gates, takže poté, co s nimi skončil své povinnosti, začal psát hudbu a texty pro ‚The Oak‘, mluvil o svých vlastních zkušenostech a dělal spoustu aranží a všechny klávesy na albu.

Poslední věcí bylo, že jsme spolu nehráli více než deset let a bylo to skládání na dálku, opravdu jiné než společné zkoušení a hledání inspirace.


Pojďme trošku do historie. INBORN SUFFERING vznikli v roce 2020 v Paříži. Potom jste (v roce 2012) se na deset let odmlčeli a vrátili jste se až v roce 2022. V dnešní době není lehké začínat znovu. Nebo jste nepřerušili činnost? Proč o vás vlastně nebylo slyšet?

Páni... 2002, to už je hodně, hodně dávno. Nebylo snadné znovu začít tvořit hudbu. Po znovu vydání dema jsme se bavili o tom, že uděláme písničku „one more thing“, protože jsme odešli na pauzu se spoustou zloby a nevraživosti vůči sobě navzájem. Veškerá činnost s Inborn Suffering byla v roce 2012 úplně zastavena.

Novinka má přesně takový ten chladný, čitelný zvuk, který mám moc rád. Podepsán je pod ním mistr Olmo Lipani (Déhà). Všichni jeho práci známe. Mě by zajímalo, jak se vám spolupracovalo, jak jste se dali dohromady a proč právě on? S jakými pocity jste odcházeli ze studia?

Nahrávku vlastně dělal Stephane doma, mix a mastering dělal Déhá, chtěl jsem Déhá, protože mi v posledních letech hodně pomohl, abych se udržel v klidu. A nejen s touhle hudbou, taky jsme si hodně povídali.

Na ‚From Lowering Tides‘ také zpívá. Laurent s ním spolupracoval už na albu Mourning Dawn a odvádí úžasnou práci.


Když se dívám na obal, tak mi je svým způsobem trošku nepříjemný. Líbí se mi, ale je v něm takový zvláštní neklid. Krásná práce. Kdo je autorem a proč jste zvolili právě tento motiv? Co má přesně vyjadřovat a jak souvisí s hudbou?

Autorem je Franck Besançon, který se specializuje na hororové umění. Je Stephanovým dobrým přítelem a pracoval na Silent Hillu: Townfall, jedné z dalších her ze série Silent Hill.

Můžete vidět těla, která se snaží najít světlo, ale vždy je tu někdo, kdo vás tlačí dolů do tmy. Je to skvělé ztvárnění deprese, ale i dnešního světa. Odvedl úžasnou práci.

Texty na vašich deskách jsou o smrti, smutku, o bolesti. Kde pro ně berete inspiraci? Kdo je jejich autorem? A o čem pojednávají na novém albu?

Jsem autorem všech textů kromě „The Oak“. Všechna témata alba hovoří o depresi a zejména o mých vlastních zkušenostech z posledních několika let. Takže inspirace byla jednoduchá... prostě jsem vybíral střípky ze svého života.


K nové skladbě „The Oak“ máte takový melancholický, velmi podmanivý a skvěle natočený klip. Kdo je jeho autorem a jak se mu povedlo tak krásně spojit obrazy se zajímavým a pro mě až osobním textem?

Stephane udělal pro „The Oak“ všechno: píseň, text, klip. Vše je vytvořeno pomocí volných obrázků a je to koncepční píseň vypovídající o jeho vlastních zkušenostech. Chtěl, aby se posluchač místo na text soustředil na hudbu - jako by četl hudbu a poslouchal text. Rád tomu říkám obrácená píseň. Asi nejtemnější věc, kterou jsme udělali. Hlavním zpěvákem je Fred z kapely Wordless Hope.

Ovlivňuje vás nějak francouzská příroda? Já pokaždé, když slyším kapelu z vaší země, tak mě napadne, že umíte do skladeb vložit takovou zvláštní náladu, melancholii, lehkou progresi. Hodně často jsem si bral album do lesů u nás, kousek za městem a připadalo mi, jako bych byl někde u vás na severu.

Ne kvůli textu, možná spíš kvůli smutku z města, ve kterém žijeme. Laurent žije na jihu Francie a hodně cestuje. Myslím, že pro něj je příroda určitě inspirací.

Paříž byla vždy centrem kultury. Jak je na tom ale s doom metalem? Není to zrovna styl, na který chodí davy. Alespoň tak tomu je u nás v Čechách. Hrajete i s dalšími doom metalovými kapelami nebo vystupujete spíše se smečkami z jiných stylů? Doom metal je dle mého disciplína, která vyžaduje odlišný přístup, než třeba thrash nebo death metal. Vystupujete spíše jen na doomových festivalech nebo hrajete „se všemi“?

Máme tu skvělou doomovou scénu, počínaje Hangman’s Chair.

V průběhu let jsme hráli se spoustou kapel, zejména doom metalových. Už nehrajeme, ale hráli jsme například s Mar de Grises, Mourning Beloveth, Swallow the Sun, Before the Dawn, Saturnus, Ataraxie, Esoteric a Pantheist.


Jak vnímáš vaši scénu celkově? Koncerty, fanoušky, labely? U nás je koncertů poměrně hodně, ale jen některé jsou solidně navštěvované. Navíc mi připadá, že mladí fanoušci už poslouchají trošku něco jiného. Chodíš na koncerty i jako fanoušek? Sleduješ scénu v Paříži?

Ve Francii máme spoustu opravdu dobrých blackmetalových kapel, několik doomových nebo deathových kapel a spoustu renomovaných labelů jako Les Acteurs de L'ombre, Season of Mist atd.

Mladší fanoušci tady mají tendenci poslouchat hodně věcí jako deathcore.

Na koncerty teď moc nechodím, ale minulý měsíc jsem byl na Houle/ Moonreich/ Penitence Onirique. Tři skvělé francouzské blackmetalové kapely.

Mě osobně připadá „Pale Grey Monochrome“ jako takový dokonale vybroušený stylový drahokam, který ale může oslovit i fanoušky mimo doom death metal. Album je sice syrové, ale má i spoustu dobře zapamatovatelných melodií. Kam až chcete kapelu posunout? Co je vaším cílem? Někoho lákají velké festivaly, někdo chce zase slavný label. Jaké máte sny?

Opravdu nevím, jestli bude kapela pokračovat ve své činnosti. Čekalo se, že uděláme jednu písničku, udělali jsme album. Žádné plány nemáme. Myslím, že Laurent bude dál hrát s Mourning Dawn, ale na Inborn Suffering už momentálně nemá čas. Nemáme žádné plány s novými písněmi ani s živými akcemi.

 

Jak si se vlastně dostal k muzice? Kdo byl tvým vzorem? První koncert? První vystoupení jako muzikant? A co nějaké divoké zážitky, to vždycky čtenáře zajímá?:)).

K hudbě jsem se dostal díky kapelám jako New Order a A-ha - jsem jejich velkým fanouškem!

Můj první koncert jako fanouška byl Paradise Lost v roce 1995 a můj první koncert jako hudebníka byl v roce 2005 nebo 2006.

Co se týče divokého zážitku, tak to byl koncert v Belgii. Pořadatel nám hodinu před tím, než jsme měli hrát, řekl, že nemá peníze na zaplacení. Přesto jsme hráli, protože jsme tam byli a lidi na nás čekali. Byl to dobrý koncert s My Lament.

Zajímal by mě tvůj vztah k muzice. Co pro tebe znamená? Je to koníček? Životní styl?

Hudba je způsob života. Při poslechu hudby nacházím klid. Hudbu poslouchám pořád. Je tolik emocí, které můžete najít pouze v hudbě.

Co chystají INBORN SUFFERING v nejbližší době?

V tuto chvíli nemáme žádné plány.

Děkuji moc za rozhovor, vážím si ho. Asi tušíš, co půjdu dělat. Jasně, vyrazím ven, do lesa a vaši novinku „Pale Grey Monochrome“ si vezmu s sebou. Je totiž vynikající! Přeji vám, aby se dobře prodávala a ať jste spokojení i v osobních životech.

Děkujeme.

Recenze/review - INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome (2025):





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úterý 11. března 2025

Recenze/review - INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome (2025)


INBORN SUFFERING - Pale Grey Monochrome
CD 2025, Ardua Music

for english please scroll down

Když jsme byli mladí, tak  jsme spolu chodili na pivo. Diskutovali jsme o knihách, o hudbě, o krásných ženách. Smáli jsme se jen tak, z obyčejné radosti. Život šel dál a pokaždé, když jsme se potkali, tak jsme věděli, že si máme co říct. Byli jsme přesnou definicí toho, co znamená slovo kamarád. Už to jsou dva roky, co jsi odešel neznámo kam. Do nebe nebo do jiné dimenze nebo jen tak hniješ v zemi. Zůstala tady po tobě bolest a vzpomínky, které nikdy nevyblednou. Zrovna včera večer, když jsem chodil šerými ulicemi, tak si byl zase se mnou. 

Pamatuješ, jak jsme byli kdysi dávno v Paříži? Navštívili jsme tenkrát jeden malý klub, který smrděl a vystupovaly v něm kapely se smutkem v očích. INBORN SUFFERING nahráli desku, která v mé hlavě rozvířila spoustu melancholických myšlenek. Metal si moc nemusel, ale jeho doomovou odrůdu si miloval. Pokaždé, když slyším nové album "Pale Grey Monochrome", vnímám tvoji přítomnost. Je to hodně osobní, silný zážitek. 


Mám rád doom metal spíše v jeho klasické, tradiční podobě, tak jak jej hrávali a hrají kapely typu OFFICIUM TRISTE, OCTOBER TIDE, MOURNING BELOVETH, SATURNUS, SWALLOW THE SUN, PARADISE LOST a další tmáři. Těmi se Francouzi volně inspirovali a přidali navíc kousky sebe samých. Dostanete tak nahrávku, která nejen že splňuje všechny náležitosti stylu, ale ještě má v sobě něco navíc. Krvavou mlhu, podivné sny, již zmíněnou melancholii, bolest. Nová deska vás, pokud jste emocionálněji založeni a máte pestrou fantazii, rozdrásá a přikryje splínem. Dnešní svět je krutý úplně stejně, jako tomu vždy bývalo. Lidé se zase tolik nemění, jen mají jiné, lepší prostředky, jak někomu ublížit. Osobně podobnou hudbu potřebuji, abych vůbec přežil. Mám zkrátka občas stavy, kdy na mě padá nebe a stíny jsou až příliš dlouhé. Uvažuji o depresích a potřebuji se nadechnout. A tak chodím na stejná místa, na kterých jsme spolu pili pivo, bavili se o muzice i krásných dívkách. Čtu znovu knížky, o kterých jsme diskutovali nekonečné hodiny a nové album "Pale Grey Monochrome" pro mě bude navždy spojeno s tímto stavem mysli. Jednou se možná setkáme nebo jen shnijeme ve stejné zemi. Než se tak ale stane, budu tuhle desku poslouchat stále dokola. Pokud totiž chcete hudbu, která je dokonalou esencí stylu, tak ji rozhodně nepropásněte. Někteří z nás žijí prázdné životy bez emocí. Jsem rád, že takový  nejsem. Venku jsou šedivé mraky a těžký smog. Jenom vstát je těžké. Přesto bojuji dál. Abych nezapomněl, zvuk (Déhà - mixing, mastering) je smutný a jasně čitelný a za povedený považuji i obal (Franck Besançon). Naděje umřela poslední! Mrazivý, drásavý, melodický doom death metal plný osamělostí, melancholie a bolesti všedních dní! Album, které ve mě rozvířilo spoustu smutných vzpomínek!

Asphyx says:

When we were young, we used to go out for beers together. We discussed books, music, beautiful women. We laughed just for the simple joy of it. Life went on, and every time we met, we knew we had something to say to each other. We were the very definition of what the word friend meant. It's been two years since you left for parts unknown. To heaven or another dimension or just rotting in the ground. You left behind pain and memories that will never fade. Just last night, as I walked the dark streets, you were with me again.

Remember when we were in Paris a long time ago? We visited a small club that stank and had bands playing with sadness in their eyes. INBORN SUFFERING made a record that stirred up a lot of melancholy thoughts in my head. I didn't like metal much, but I loved the doom variety of it. Every time I hear the new album "Pale Grey Monochrome" I feel your presence. It's a very personal, powerful experience.


I like doom metal more in its classic, traditional form, as it was and is played by bands like OFFICIUM TRISTE, OCTOBER TIDE, MOURNING BELOVETH, SATURNUS, SWALLOW THE SUN, PARADISE LOST and other obscure bands. The French were freely inspired by them and added extra bits of themselves. What you get is a record that not only meets all the requirements of style, but has something extra. Bloody fog, strange dreams, the aforementioned melancholy, pain. The new record, if you are more emotionally inclined and have a colourful imagination, will tear you apart and cover you with sleep. Today's world is as cruel as it has always been. People don't change that much, they just have different, better ways to hurt someone. Personally, I need music like this to survive. I just get in states where the sky is falling on me sometimes and the shadows are too long. I think about depression and I need to breathe. And so I go to the same places where we used to drink beer together, talk about music and beautiful girls. I re-read the books we discussed for endless hours, and the new album "Pale Grey Monochrome" will forever be associated with this state of mind for me. Maybe one day we'll meet or just rot in the same country. But until that happens, I'll be listening to this album over and over again. Because if you want music that is the perfect essence of style, then definitely don't miss it. Some of us live empty lives without emotion. I'm glad I'm not like that. There are grey clouds and heavy smog outside. Just getting up is hard. Still, I fight on. Not to forget, the sound (Déhà - mixing, mastering) is sad and clear, and I think the cover (Franck Besançon) is hilarious. Hope dies last! Freezing, poignant, melodic doom death metal full of loneliness, melancholy and pain of everyday life! An album that stirred a lot of sad memories in me!


Tracklist:
01. Wounding (01:09)
02. From Lowering Tides (10:43)
03. Pale Grey Monochrome (11:25)
04. Tales from an Empty Shell (13:02)
05. Of Loss and Despair (02:15)
06. The Oak (10:47)
07. Drawing Circles (07:32)

úterý 29. října 2024

Recenze/review - SWALLOW THE SUN - Shining (2024)


SWALLOW THE SUN - Shining
CD 2024, Century Media Records

for english please scroll down

Já vím, já vím, tohle album bude u fanoušků probouzet spoustu emocí. Kapela, která byla vždy takovou doom death metalovou jistotou a definicí smutku jako takového, přichází najednou s jiným zvukem i nápady. Taková ta naléhavá bolest je pryč a přichází spíše pozitivnější melodie. Osobně kapelu chápu. Hrát celý život v podstatě to samé, i když skvěle, se nedá navěky. Hodně záleží, jak k hudbě přistupujete celkově. Ti, kteří jsou otevřeni novátorství, objevování a mají pestrou fantazii, budou nadšeni. Ostatní nové album zavrhnou a budou plivat jed.

Ubylo drsných pasáží i hrubého hlasu. Finové se vydali spíše směrem třeba k takové KATATONII, AMORPHIS, TYPE O NEGATIVE, možná i H.I.M.. Skladby působí pozitivně, svěže a úplně jinak, než jsme zvyklí. Jestli je to dobře nebo špatně, nechám na vás. Osobně si dovedu představit, že novinka zaujme o hodně širší publikum, než dřív. Jen už to není takový smutek a temnota. Pravdou ale je, že jsem se při poslechu usmíval. 


Zažíval jsem zpočátku velmi podobné emoce, jako většina fanoušků. Byl jsem tak trošku zklamaný, rozpolcený a možná i lehce naštvaný. Jenže potom jsem si sedl, otevřel jednu starou knihu a četl si. "Shining" jsem si pustil jen jako kulisu k sychravému podzimnímu dnu a najednou si říkám: "Ono to ale není vůbec špatný". Přidal jsem hlasitost, otevřel okno do chladu a tmy a najednou došlo k "vzájemnému přenosu mezi mnou a kapelou". Nevím vlastně ani, jak popsat své pocity slovy, ale začal jsem skladby vnímat úplně jinak. Jsou vzdušné, pozitivní, přesto melancholické. SWALLOW THE SUN mají stále svůj jasný a zřetelný rukopis. Jen své nápady uplatňují jiným způsobem. Někde jsem četl, že do novinky promítli muzikanti všechny hudební směry, které je kdy ovlivnily. Dostanete tak odkazy nejen na doom metal, ale i na gothic, prog rock, pop. Navíc je tu ještě jedna věc. Hudba by neměla být stále stejná, očekávaná. Naopak, měla by jitřit mysl, překvapovat a bolet. Dovedl bych si sice představit syrovější zvuk, více temnoty a chladu, ale to může být jenom můj názor. Nové album na mě působí možná až moc přívětivě, klidně bych si jej dovedl představit jako večerní pořad v komerčnějším rádiu. Vlastně ani po delší době nevím, co si o novince myslet. Na jednu stranu mě tak trošku nudí, na druhou mám někde v podvědomí zakódováno, že se k ní budu občas vracet. Asi jen čas ukáže, jestli se kapela vydala správnou cestou. Vlastně ani nevím, jestli vám mám desku doporučit nebo nikoliv. Hodně záleží, jak máte otevřenou mysl. Za mě by to chtělo lepší produkci, aby stále dobré nápady lépe vynikly. Doom metalová legenda se vydala novým směrem, který bude budit spoustu emocí! 


Asphyx says:

I know, I know, this album is going to stir up a lot of emotions in the fans. A band that has always been such a doom death metal sure thing and the definition of sadness as such is suddenly coming up with a different sound and ideas. Gone is that urgent pain and in comes more upbeat melodies. Personally, I understand the band. You can't play basically the same thing all your life, however great, forever. A lot depends on how you approach music in general. Those who are open to innovation, exploration and have a varied imagination will be thrilled. Others will dismiss the new album and spit venom.

There are fewer harsh passages and less rough vocals. The Finns have gone more in the direction of, for example, KATATONIA, AMORPHIS, TYPE O NEGATIVE, maybe even H.I.M. The songs feel positive, fresh and completely different than we are used to. Whether it's good or bad, I leave it to you. Personally, I imagine the new stuff will appeal to a much wider audience than before. It's just not as sad and dark anymore. But the truth is, I was smiling while listening to it.


I experienced very similar emotions at first, as most fans do. I was a little disappointed, conflicted and maybe even a little angry. But then I sat down, opened an old book and read. I put "Shining" on just as a backdrop to a drizzly autumn day and suddenly thought, "Oh, it's not bad at all." I turned up the volume, opened the window to the cold and dark and suddenly there was a "mutual transmission between me and the band". I don't really know how to describe my feelings in words, but I started to perceive the songs in a completely different way. They are airy, positive, yet melancholic. SWALLOW THE SUN still have their clear and distinct signature. They just apply their ideas in a different way. I read somewhere that the musicians projected all the musical directions that have ever influenced them into the new album. So you get references not only to doom metal, but also to gothic, prog rock, pop. Plus, there's one more thing. Music shouldn't be the same, expected. On the contrary, it should be mind-blowing, surprising and painful. I could imagine a more raw sound, more darkness and coldness, but that can only be my opinion. The new album is perhaps too friendly for me, I could easily imagine it as an evening show on a more commercial radio. Actually, I don't know what to think of the new album after a long time. On the one hand, I'm a bit bored, on the other hand, I have it coded somewhere in my subconscious that I will return to it from time to time. I guess only time will tell if the band is on the right track. Actually, I don't even know if I should recommend the album or not. A lot depends on how open-minded you are. For me it would need better production to make the still good ideas stand out better. The doom metal legend has taken a new direction that will stir up a lot of emotions!



about SWALLOW THE SUN on DEADLY STORM ZINE:





tracklist:
1. Innocence Was Long Forgotten
2. What I Have Become
3. Melancholy
4. Under the Moon & Sun
5. Kold
6. November Dust
7. Velvet Chains
8. Tonight Pain Believes
9. Charcoal Sky
10. Shining

band:
Juha Raivio - Guitars, Keyboards, Songwriting, Lyrics
Matti Honkonen - Bass
Mikko Kotamäki - Vocals
Juuso Raatikainen - Drums
Juho Räihä - Guitars



čtvrtek 19. září 2024

Recenze/review - CELESTIAL SEASON - Mysterium III (2024)


CELESTIAL SEASON - Mysterium III
CD 2024, Burning World Records, Roadburn Records

for english please scroll down

Měla si smutný pohled a bojovala si s vlastními démony. Přišla si z pekla války a budila ses uprostřed noci. Volala si do ticha dávno mrtvá jména, lekala ses stínů. Byla si sama uprostřed davu. Našlapovala si opatrně, každý den ráno, když ses vydala za šedivé město. Přemýšlela si o směru, jakým se vydat a kolem se probouzel les. Hladina jezera se leskla do ševelu stromů. Konečně si našla klid. 

Jsou desky, které raději poslouchám, než abych o nich psal. Mám totiž pocit, že moje slova nestačí, že jimi nedokážu popsat veškeré pocity. Také jsem potkal dívku, která přišla z temnoty a snažil jsem se jí pomoc. Pouštěl jsem ji nové album doom death metalových CELESTIAL SEASON a vznášeli jsme se na vlnách řeky smutku a beznaděje. Tahle kapela je legendou nejen ve svém žánru. Založena v Nizozemí v roce 1991. Letos jsou pánové a dámy ve skvělé formě, stačí na chvilku zastavit svoje kroky a poslouchat pozorně. 


Skladby jsou napsány takovým tím starým, poctivým způsobem. Kapela sice ctí všechny náležitosti žánru (MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA, PARADISE LOST, THE GATHERING, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE), ale přidává navíc velkou spoustu svých nápadů, stylových odboček, atmosférických ploch. Musím se vám přiznat k jedné věci, já příliš jiných, než tradičních metalových nástrojů nemám rád, ale zde jsou violoncello a cello vloženy a používány tak samozřejmým způsobem, že si bez nich nedovedu skladby ani představit. Je to jako se procházek po pláží a sledovat jemnou hru světla lámajícího se o hladinu. Je to jako si lehnout v lese do trávy a nechat na sebe padat nebe. Hudba těchto mistrů není jenom smutná, je v ní určitý druh naděje, spočinutí, odpuštění, chcete-li. Asi jako každý bývám rád někdy sám a jen si tak čtu, uzavřený ve svých myšlenkách i ulitě. Daleko od podivného světa, od válek, od násilí, od bolesti, od utrpení, od nemocí. Možná to bude znít divně, ale "Mysterium III" je pro mě jakousi terapií. Představte si rušnou ulici, která se najednou zcela zastaví. Odněkud z jiné dimenze, z tohoto alba, přiletí velká spousta energie a všichni se najednou seberou a utečou ven, do lesů, do přírody. Mezi křupající větve pod nohama, mezi zelené keře, do větru, do řeky, do smutku, který je ale očišťující. Asi bych měl zhodnotit i zvuk, obal a celkovou produkci, ale ono je vše v takovém pořádku, že ani nemusím. Raději se soustředím na předané emoce, na sílu, která ke mě stéká z reproduktorů. Měla smutný pohled a bojovala s vlastními démony. Přišla z pekla války a budila se uprostřed noci. Volala do ticha dávno mrtvá jména, lekala se stínů. Teď už je jí dobře. Poslouchá totiž tohle album. Mrazivý a temný smuteční doom death metalový pochod! Hledání světla ve tmě a zármutku! 

Asphyx says:

You had a sad look on your face and you were battling your own demons. You came from the hell of war and woke up in the middle of the night. You've called long-dead names into the silence, you've feared the shadows. You were alone in the middle of the crowd. You tread carefully, every morning, when you set out for the grey city. You wondered which direction to take as the forest woke around you. The surface of the lake glistened into the rustle of the trees. You finally found peace. 

There are records I'd rather listen to than write about. For I feel that my words are not enough, that I cannot describe all the feelings. I also met a girl who came out of the darkness and I tried to help her. I played her the new album of doom death metal CELESTIAL SEASON and we floated on the waves of the river of sadness and hopelessness. This band is a legend not only in their genre. Founded in the Netherlands in 1991. This year the gentlemen and ladies are in great form, just stop your steps for a moment and listen carefully. 


The songs are written in that old, honest way. Although the band honours all the elements of the genre (MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA, PARADISE LOST, THE GATHERING, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE), they add a lot of their own ideas, stylistic digressions, atmospheric areas. I have to confess one thing, I don't like too many instruments other than traditional metal instruments, but here the cello and cello are inserted and used in such an obvious way that I can't even imagine the songs without them. It's like walking along the beach and watching the gentle play of light refracting against the surface. It's like lying down in the grass in the woods and letting the sky fall in on you. The music of these masters isn't just sad, there's a kind of hope in it, a restfulness, a forgiveness, if you will. I guess like everyone I like to be alone sometimes and just read, enclosed in my thoughts and my shell. Away from the strange world, from wars, from violence, from pain, from suffering, from illness. It may sound strange, but "Mysterium III" is a kind of therapy for me. Imagine a busy street that suddenly comes to a complete stop. From somewhere from another dimension, from this album, a lot of energy comes in and suddenly everybody picks up and runs outside, into the woods, into nature. Into the branches crunching underfoot, into the green bushes, into the wind, into the river, into the sadness, which is cleansing. I should probably also evaluate the sound, the cover and the overall production, but everything is so good that I don't even need to. I prefer to focus on the emotions conveyed, on the power that flows to me from the speakers. She had a sad look and was battling her own demons. She came from the hell of war and woke up in the middle of the night. She called long-dead names into the silence, frightened of shadows. She's fine now. Because she's listening to this album. A cold and dark funeral doom death metal march! Searching for light in the darkness and sorrow!



Tracklist:
01. Fecund Universe (06:16)
02. Black Goat Of The Woods (04:34)
03. Empty Corridors (04:54)
04. Daughter Of The Lake (03:41)
05. Nepenthe (03:46)
06. We Never Stray (04:31)
07. The Last Day (04:26)
08. Chained Phoenix (06:16)

band:
Lucas van Slegtenhorst - Bass
Jason Köhnen - Drums
Stefan Ruiters - Vocals
Olly Smit - Guitars
Pim van Zanen - Guitars
Jiska ter Bals - Violin
Elianne Anemaat - Cello



středa 11. září 2024

Interview - MARCHE FUNÈBRE - Dark and cold, heartbreaking doom death metal, shrouded in the morning mist of a mountain lake!


Interview with doom death metal band from Belgium - MARCHE FUNÈBRE.

Answered Dennis, Kurt, Arne, thank you!

Recenze/review - MARCHE FUNÈBRE - After the Storm (2024):

Ave MARCHE FUNÈBRE! To start our conversation with a short story...I got up early and went into the woods. It was quiet and the sun was slowly rising above the horizon. I came to the ruins of an old church. In the ruins, I sat down for a while and listened to your new album “After the Storm” It was the end of July, the album had come to me for review earlier. I wasn’t able to write anything until last week, I preferred to keep listening. Hello Belgium and thank you very much for your new album. How did the album come about, when did the first ideas and thoughts come about? What is the basic theme of the whole record?

Dennis: As usual we just start writing music without too much of a concept in our heads. We released our previous album in the middle of the pandemic, so the real writing started after the pandemic, since we prefer writing music when we are together in the rehearsal place throwing some ideas around and see where they go. There were some online things we did (like some covers and stuff but that was just to keep us busy and not lose touch, more than active songwriting really). Kurt and me had some rehearsals with just the two of us. We wrote some stuff but apart from a part in Stranded we didn’t really do anything with what we wrote during these sessions… When the world opened again we started rehearsing again and soon stuff started to happen and the first ideas of this album came together…

Kurt: Indeed, and when the ideas were brought, there came in a fast tempo. I guess all the musical ideas were held back for quite a while. Once we got back into the rehearsal room, the album was written pretty quickly. At times we were writing three songs at the same time. :D

Arne: Lyrically most lyrics were written shortly after my last break-up, which accidentally was right before we could rehearse again as a band.


I listen mostly to fast music, raw death metal, black and thrash, but doom metal is kind of in my blood since the first albums PARADISE LOST and MY DYING BRIDE. A long time ago, when I was still in college, I discovered this style with my future wife. How did you get into this style? And what is it like to play doom metal in Belgium? To be honest, I don’t know many bands like that from you.

Dennis: I guess we all have our own story on how we got into doom, for me it was the 90’s when MTV still played music and there was Headbangers’ Ball: I discovered sooo many bands trough that show and given my young age back then I absorbed it all like a sponge, always wanting more… It was there that Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride got my attention, the melancholy combined with aggressive guitars and grunts was an instant hit in my book. Around the same time (or even a bit before) I had a few friends that where older than me and they thought it was cool to “educate” me with stuff they liked so they taped what they would be listening to and that way I got to listen to the Gothic record from Paradise Lost not long after it got out,… Ah… the 90’s and trading tapes, I wish I could go back sometimes, everything metal related was pure magic back then (at least for a young kid like me).

I personally discovered you at a gig with OPHIS in Pilsen in 2014. I must admit that I was literally fascinated by the atmosphere you were able to create. I immediately ran to buy a CD with a friend and didn’t listen to anything else for two months. Every time I’m in a “sad” mood or need to stop, I choose doom metal. Do you remember touring with OPHIS? What do you think about the Czech fans?

Dennis: Sure man, we played quite a lot of shows with The Ophis dudes, but that time it was the first time in the Czech Republic for us and we had the best of times !! It was The Pod Lampu we played there (we returned there some years ago), I really liked that gig and the whole little tour we did. I think we gave a good show there and the atmosphere was cool that night.

Kurt: Oh yes, I remember that gig too. It was the tour we did with the bros of Ophis and our friends in Et Moriemur. I woudn’t mind revisiting Pilsen.


If you saw my library, you might be surprised. You’ll find old historical books and novels as well as modern detective stories, science fiction. I’m the same with books as I am with music. I like to sample. For me, for example, the words for reviews come to mind most early in the morning when I’m walking to work. I write them down on my phone and then use them when I start writing. How do you do it?

Dennis: Writing this kind of music comes natural to us, we don’t really have a modus operandi, sometimes someone comes to rehearsal with a song he already wrote at home and we modify it to our liking, sometimes a song starts just from jamming a riff around and sometimes a vocal line is written first and music gets created and draped around it… We do never limit ourselves in style or any other way when we write, we just write what we like to play and hear, so sometimes a more Death Metal part will be integrated, sometimes some post black, sometimes some Heavy Metal, whatever we feel the song demands…

I’ll confess to one thing. You know what literally fascinates me about After the Storm? The vocals! You all have very urgent voices, you complement each other perfectly. It’s like you’re connected in some weird way? Do you have a musical background? Do you take singing lessons, for example?

Dennis: I leave this one to the vocalist…

Arne: Most voices you hear are mine, so it’s not that weird that they complement each other. We like to record multi-layered vocal lines in the studio. Other than that it is a really cool feature of this band to have more than one versatile vocalist. And I think especially Boris’s extreme vocals really work well next to mine. None of us have a musical background when it comes to singing. It’s just our weekly practices and the occasional gigs/touring that made us improve throughout the years, next to other projects with different accents.


You’re from Mechelen, Antwerp. I don’t know if it’s true, but it seems to me that the sea and the surrounding nature must have inspired you a lot? Or am I wrong? I imagine you’re walking along the beach or visiting an old church and suddenly you think of a new motif for a song. Because I feel this strange melancholy from the new record, which is something that not only British doom bands have, but also bands from Finland. Does the environment influence you a lot in your work? Where do you actually like to go? What about you and nature, sights?

Dennis: For me personally it is more of a subconscious thing… I don’t need to be in a forest to know how to create melancholic music. I do enjoy a walk through the forest, I am indeed fascinated by ruins or the atmosphere of old churches and graveyards. I enjoy nature and landscapes. I can really take them in, but I see it more as something I do and need as a person, rather than something I need as a musician…

Kurt: For me, inspiration comes mainly from a state of mind. Not specifically a depressive state of mind, but rather an introspective one.. Just taking out the guitar and just letting the emotion decide the riff feels right to me. It’s kind of the same as sports to me. Being creative is a way to release stress or express emotion without having to use words.

Arne: When it comes to writing our lyrics, I had a lot of personal things to tell this time, but that isn’t necessary for me to write a good lyric. All I need is the right idea/concept and the words usually flow out of me.

How are you on the gigging side of things? Do you play a lot and often? We have a few good doom bands in Pilsen and the gigs tend to be really poorly attended. Which is a pity, although I understand that this music is not for everyone. How many people come to the club to see you? And what are the Belgian fans like? Do they support the bands?

Dennis: Doom is indeed not the most popular genre, not even amongst Metal fans. We try to play Live as much as we can but we also know we should not play a show in our home town every 2 months, so we try to give our shows some exclusivity so people who want to see us get the opportunity but not every 2 weeks.

I think we are quite fortunate to get quite some gigs, we play abroad a lot too, I think we are a strong live band and that audiences don’t need to be all doomheads in order to appreciate our live show.

The attendance of gigs varies from show to show for so many reasons but I don’t think we can complain.


Most bands have rather fluctuating quality in their discographies. But it’s different for you. I don’t think You’ve recorded a bad album yet. How do you explain that? Are you perfectionists? Or does everything happen only under the “guidance” of one person? They say a band is like a family. Well, yeah, but there’s always got to be someone in the band who has the final say. What about MARCHE FUNÈBRE?

Dennis: Everything in MF is a group effort, we do not have one leader or something, we are a collective and all decisions are taken by all, this means sometimes you need to give in… It is hard to explain but for us it seems to work, which doesn’t mean it is always easy (but if you keep in mind that everyone in MF just wants the best for the band you can get far without having to fight a lot).

Sometimes there are strong opposing opinions on things, then we talk and come to a conclusion one way or another…

As for your first question, yes I think we are a bit of perfectionists, we want to deliver high quality releases on all levels and I think we are and are still growing…

Kurt: I agree with Dennis there. We strive for the best result, but also… we know we won’t get the best result when endlessly focussing on one melody or riff. We do look at the song as a whole and do not feel it’s necessary to focus on the minor details. Music is not an exact science so what is good for us, is not necessarily considered the best for others.

Arne: When I look at our creative process, it’s obvious that we always set the bar higher, for ourselves. Whereas in the past we would be happy when a song would be finished, now we put it away for some time, and re-evaluate it months later. Usually we change some stuff, or even delete parts when revisiting the new songs like this. But in the end I think we always wrote the best song with the given basic ingredients.


As I’m getting older, I’m becoming more and more aware of what things are important. There’;s a lot of chaos all around us nowadays. Social media, the news, wars, depression, all of this affects us and every moment we stop and maybe just sit and look at the ruins of old churches and listen to music is terribly precious. Actually, for me, music is not only relaxation, but also a kind of therapy, it helps me to survive in the strange world of today. What does music mean to you as a creator and musician? And why doom metal?

Dennis: Music is life, it is the most powerful force in my world. Not only Doom but music in general, it can help you through hard times, it can comfort, channel anger, make you put stuff in perspective, bring you joy and happiness,….

The world these days is not any stranger than it ever was or than it will ever be imho… It is just a given fact and you as an individual need to deal with this given fact, love it or hate it the world will not care so you might as well try to enjoy it and go with the ride, you only get one one way ticket to death so try to enjoy the ride…

Could you please tell us how your lyrics are created and who is the author? You draw from literature, philosophy. But how does it happen that you think - this particular text, passage, book appealed to me and would be worth translating into music?

Dennis: Another question I leave for Arne.

Arne: Actually our now ex-guitar player Peter was the one who kickstarted the use of texts from dead poets. Since I’m more in charge now of our lyrics, I think we will see it less and less for our songs, as I usually write my own stuff. My inspiration could come from anything, but most of the time it has some personal story behind it, on which I start dramaticing for better effect for instance.

I can’t help it, I have to ask. You have a few clips for the new album. I think they’re very good. Who is the author, director, who came up with the ideas? By the way, what’s the name of the beautiful girl in “After the Storm”?

Dennis: another one for Arne here (really bad with names)

Kurt: I guess this one is even for Boris. :)

Arne: Well, if you checked the video on YouTube, all the info is there actually^^ The actual storyline of the video came from a brainstorming session between Boris and Michaël, the director, who took my lyrics rather literally. I guess the result is really cool, although I never had the intention of writing about domestic violence, but it happened to be a perfect metaphor for the ideas behind the lyrics.


One more trip into history, please. How did you get started in music? Who was your first role model? What about your first gig? And your first stage performance?

Dennis: We will all have different answers to this one of course. We’ve all been in different bands before joining Marche Funèbre. I have been playing drums since I was 15 I think and was in a lot of bands playing a wide range of musical styles: Blues-Rock, Punk, Death-Metal, …
It really shaped me as a musician…

My first gig, I don’t really remember what my first gig was, probably just playing some covers in some friends’ backyard during summer break or something… Whatever it was, I love playing live, it is my main goal being a musician…

What are MARCHE FUNÈBRE planning in the near future? Do you have something to say to your fans? Here is the space.

Dennis: Thanx for taking the interest in our band, thanx for the support !

What the future plans are, first we’ll be promoting the new album that will be out through Ardua Music on the 27th of September.

After that we’ll see, we still have an EP on the shelf which we will probably release somewhere next year, we are writing for what will be the next album, and we’ll continue playing shows !

SUPPORT the underground! We need you to exist!

Kurt: To our fans, come chat with us. Meet us at the merch stand or have a beer with us!

I was up early preparing these questions, it’s also the weekend and it’s about to dawn. You can probably guess where I’m going. I’ve got my headphones ready, ”After the Storm” in them, and I’m looking forward to the woods. I want to close by thanking you so much for your music. Thank you also for the interview, of course, and I wish you lots of inspiration and good ideas. May you do well in your private life too! Playing again...


Recenze/review - MARCHE FUNÈBRE - After the Storm (2024):

Recenze/review - MARCHE FUNEBRE - Einderlicht (2020):

Recenze/review - MARCHE FUNĖBRE - Into the Arms of Darkness (2017):

Report, foto, video - OPHIS, MARCHE FUNÉBRE, ET MORIEMUR - klub Divadlo pod Lampou, Plzeň - 16.11.2014: https://www.deadlystormzine.com/2014/11/report-foto-video-ophis-marche-funebre.html





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