1. Bliss of Flesh was formed around the year 2000, formerly known as Labdacides. It's been about twenty-five years now. How do you remember that early period of the band? What motivated you to create a black metal band, and why did you choose the name Bliss of Flesh?
In this period we would like to create a band with good friends and our motivations were playing an hateful and powerful music. Quickly our music was evolving towards something darker and more obscure. The band’s name was going to change. Bliss of flesh was born.
2. Although the lineup has remained more or less solid over the years, the first album took a while to arrive. “Emaciated Deity” was released in 2009. Was there a typical period of smaller releases before the time came to take the plunge and release the first album, or was there other reasons for this delay?
Since the beginning we prefered to deserve our art to underground black metal scene. We would like to honored this art but we would like to keep the black flame and use old style with productions on tapes and lps.
After my arrival in 2006 we decided to spit our hateful art to the face of the world. What could be more obvious than going through a label that would help us with this task by agreeing to release. Emaciated deity will be released.
3. Your fifth album, “Metempsychosis,” has just been released. What was the songwriting and recording process like for this new album? How do you think you've evolved since “Tyrant”?
In fact our compostion process is the same since the beginning. Sikkardinal composed all music offently quickly (for metempsychosis during one week). After that he sent to me all music and I write the lyrics. I can’t describe our connection but I think we are. I have this faculty to write Sikkardinal’s emotions who created through this music.
Since Tyrant we will follow our own path. For each album we don’ t want no limits on our artistic process. That ‘s the reason why we used cello on Tyrant album and on Metempsychosis we thought that piano was the best tinstrument for explaining our feelings connected with our lyrics.
4. “Metempsychosis” was a long time coming, but once you listen to it, you'll see a band that has matured in many ways. The sound draws on diverse influences and styles—dark, visceral, aggressive, and melancholic—with daring tempo changes and vocals that span a wide range and exert a hypnotic power over the whole. Would you say that you've released an album that should be essential listening for any true black metal fan? What inspired you, musically speaking, to compose the album? How would you describe the sound of this new work?
5 years ago between Tyrant and Metempsychosis, that was necessary for us to create a perfect jewel. We would like to choose the best melodies, the best words. And we would like the best actors for working with us. Drudenhaus was there with my good friend Neb Xort.
More essential thing for a true black metal fan will be : “listen this relelase on this entirety and feel our despair and powerlessness in the face of chaos.”
We are inspired by our emotions. Each melodies translated our own feelings. This release is an important release for us because Death is not really far, and this process to acceding to a gateway is a real way to Metempsychosis. We are verdammt.
The sound of this release is the best for this manifest. Neb xort worked harder on each details of the sound for differents instruments. That was the first time that i kept time for choosing a good weapon for recording my voice.
5. In the past, and I see that it continues to be the case today, you have focused particularly on the lyrics, developing themes related to philosophy and the human condition. For this occasion, you have addressed a theme linked to death and the transmutation of the soul once it has left the body, as if reincarnation existed. How did the idea of addressing this theme arise, and where did you look for inspiration and information to write the lyrics? How do you manage to balance the weight of the lyrics and the music in your work?
This idea inspired by my own life and fact that i follow my path through the life’s miasmas.
This album is really special for me. It represents an important part of my life. And life is my own source of inspiration.
This release talk about metempsychosis through the perception of a person who are a powerless witness of this own degeneration.
A new era, a new departure far beyond God and death.
This journey is really difficult for him because he ‘s welcoming lot of emotions feeling by this altered state. This person must be learn of this existence and travel through the differents steps of loss, which create a new departure to Metempsychosis.
Music is the foundation of our work and nourishes me so that the lyrics can bring our art to life.
But if there is no music, there is no lyrics and no art.
6. For the release of this new album, you are debuting with Black Lion Records. How did the opportunity to release through this Swedish record label come about?
Oliver from Black lion Record followed Bliss of flesh since beati pauperes spiritu album. When we contacted him he was really enthusiatic for working with us.
7. One aspect about which there isn't much information is where the album was recorded, mixed, and mastered. What can you tell us about this process?
We try to choose the best place for each release. For Metempsychosis, we decided to work with Neb Xort (Anorexia nervosa, Alcest). It s agood friend of me since more 20 years ago. I know that he s the best person for working with us. He worked on mixing and mastering. He s really professsional and a really good advice about our music. I think it s a new alliance for the future.
8. Regarding the album cover, which is full of nuances and surely symbolism that escapes us, who designed it and how does it relate to the album's content?
For artwork, we worked since the beginning with a great hungarian artist, and friend, Balacz Jacso aka Nagash793 since 20years ago. That was the beginning of a great collaboration. We tried to work with others guys but that was impossible. I think actually Nagash is the only artist who understand us and our universe. I’m connected with Sikkardinal’s emotions. I think it’s the same for Bliss of flesh and Nagash. We can’t explain that.
9. With two and a half decades of experience behind you, you must have lived through very different situations, especially in an era before the internet. What do you miss most about when the band formed in the early 2000s? How do you think the French black metal scene has evolved in these years? Do you feel that Bliss of Flesh fits into that French scene, or do you have more of an affinity with the Scandinavian scene in terms of sound? What new French bands would you recommend?
Personnally what I miss the most was going to the local music store to bought tape, lps and and cd of different bands.
That was really diffferent, i think, because you was really an actor of the music that you listen not like nowadays where everybody could go on internet and listen music like they use a tissue.
I really hate this new era but it s like this.
I don’t think so that we have a real affinity with french scene, I think that our music is really close to Scandinavian scene. Our tour in Northern europe confirmed that definitely.
10. You recently performed a series of concerts that served, among other things, to present your new album live, visiting countries such as Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and now France. How has the audience response been to the new album live? What has surprised you most about these concerts in terms of reactions?
That was an incredible experience. That was the first time that we played in northern europe but not the last one i think. We met a great audience each evening and a great support. That was totally crazy.
11. It's not entirely common, but it's true that some bands are starting to do it: release music videos to coincide with the release of a new album. You've released a couple for the tracks "If Only" and "The Awakening," the latter being quite elaborate and well-produced. How did the idea for the video for "The Awakening" come about, and what was it like working on it?
I really appreciate to work on The awakening. Indeed my guitarist filmed that during last winter in Brittany.
I would like to share emotions of this track. We filmed outside with 0 degres. For me that was really important to communicate with this nature and share this feelings because the awakening is the track where character discover the new universe far beyond the senses, first path to metempsychosis. Altered state represented on this video .
12. How did you get started in music: the first concerts you attended, the first albums you bought? What event in your lives led you to want to become musicians?
At the beginning I liked to drink beers and listening black metal music and death metal music with my good friends when I was teenager. I decided to create my first band with them where i played bass and vocals. That was the beginning of my musicians story.
13. Which album represents the essence of black metal for you? What are the latest albums you've bought?
For me I really appreciate, De mysteriis dom Sathanas from Mayhem and Filosofem from Burzum. I m a great fan of Black metal from Norway from the 90’s. The last cd that I bought was the last release from Djevel.
14. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for Black Metal Spirit. If you'd like to add anything for Bliss of Flesh fans, this is the place. I hope you enjoy the questions.
Thanx u for your questions and for your interest for the band. I will really appreciate to play in your country if i have opportunity, for sharing our art.
We will see, We are Verdammt!
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