Necroscum, a black death metal band formed in 2019, discusses their journey from music school to 'Gates of Misery.' Their evolving sound, impactful visuals, and future plans are unveiled in this interview.
1. Can you tell us about the origins of Necroscum and how the band came together in 2019?
The group was created after a year in music school. I was a
drummer first but I wanted to create a black death metal project with drummer
friend from the school. We met two other people including a teacher from music
school to complete the line up. Gradually, the composition in the death metal
style became obvious. I finally found myself on vocals after growling on a song
by Lamb of God. My friend from music school thought it was cool and so I stayed
on vocals.
2.Your debut EP, "Self Collapse," was released
in 2020. How would you describe the evolution of your sound from that EP to
your upcoming album, "Gates of Misery"?
The approach is different, on the EP we wanted an Old School
Death Metal sound, while for the album we were looking for a heavier and
clearer sound. We took much more time and pay more attention into the recording
of 'Gates of Misery' album, particularly when it came to mixing the album.
3."Ode to a Pestilent Penance" from your EP received
a music video. What inspired the visuals and concept behind this particular
track's video?
Since the song is about anxiety, we wanted to materialize
this excess of stress with this black liquid that flows from the musician's
mouths.
4. In May 2023, you released a video clip for the single
'Slamshit' to announce your first album. Can you share some insights into the
themes and message behind this single?
The lyrics follow pictures from the video, the couple
presented tries to bring back their relationship around a romantic dinner, but
the more the song progresses, the more we realize that it was all an illusion
and that in fact the woman wants to devour her partner. Her purpose is to live
with him for eternity, but he was not the only partner who suffered this
monstruous fate.
5."Gates of Misery" marks a turning point in your
career. Can you elaborate on how the band's musical direction and influences
have evolved since your EP release?
The EP was only based on old school death metal, but for the
album we wanted to move away from a specific label and explore the different
facets of the genre. This is the guideline that we would like to keep for
future productions.
6. The album title, "Gates of Misery," suggests a
certain darkness or intensity. Can you provide some insight into the
overarching theme or concept of the album?
What we find behind the gates of misery, are mainly... misery.
Drug addiction, murder, schizophrenia, illness, pride and even rape are the
main themes developed in this album.
7.Death Metal is known for its diverse subgenres and
influences. Could you name some bands or artists that have had a significant
impact on shaping Necroscum's sound?
Dying Fetus, Suffocation or Morbid Angel are significant
influences for our music. For the vocals, the superposition of low and high
vocals was inspired by Deicide.
8.Your music is often described as "ruthless." How
do you channel this intensity into your songwriting and performances?
The goal is to let it explode and not to channel it, to
create total chaos whether on stage or in the audience.
9.France is not traditionally associated with Death Metal. How
does your geographical location in the east of France influence your music and
lyrical themes?
Our geographical location doesn't influence our music or our
lyrics, it was mainly during the periods of confinement that most of the album
was composed. Concerning the texts, the inspirations come a lot from
documentaries concerning humans, society, space and various highlights of our
History.
10.What challenges did you face during the production of "Gates of Misery," and how did you overcome them?
The first difficulties were finding available slots for
recording the album with the studio. Then we had to face the choice of the
sound we wanted to have on the album, guitar sound, drums etc…
Then the change of line up during the production of the
album was an additional challenge to overcome. And yet, 6 months after the
original launching date, the album was finally released.
11.Can you share any memorable or unexpected experiences from
your journey as a band since your formation in 2019?
The band's very first concert, just after the pandemic
lockdowns, was a memorable experience, as if people were attending a death
metal show for the first time. It was really so good!!
Re-forming the line up, in the middle of the album's
production phase, really was a big challenge.
Filming the Slamshit music video over a single day was very
intense, but the final result was worthy of it.
In the near future, we hope to gig as many times as possible to defend 'Gates of Misery' on stage with a scenography and a show revised up to date.
Concerning the long term, a new album is already in
preparation with new inspirations while remaining faithful to the basic
material and with several videos aiming to tell a story over several chapters.
Necroscum (@necroscum.band) • Instagram photos and videos
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